[Kazuya was quiet all during Atsuro's speech, slowly lifting his gaze up from his lap to his friend. A good friend...? Man, Atsuro had been perfect just by sticking by him for all this time. Everyone else abandoned him because he made the hard choice - Naoya needed him to punch God, and Kaido... their goals just aligned conveniently. Atsuro stayed by his side, stayed his 'sidekick', even when he'd been unhappy with his decision. If that wasn't true friendship, he didn't...
Well, what would he know? Kazuya knew he wasn't a very good friend either, if Atsuro was claiming that.]
...that...
['That was some speech!' was his first instinct to say. He bit down on it though - because he extended this talk first, and, he wasn't gonna run away when Atsuro met him half way. He felt like his stomach was a battleground for a great turmoil though, like he wasn't quite sure on which emotion to settle on. 'Not not you', huh? Kazuya... didn't know if he was still Kazuya, after all that had happened. Maybe the foundations were there, but, he looked back on his past self sometimes, and it was like looking at a totally different person. Maybe...]
Y-Yeah. You're -thanks. Atsuro you're... yeah.
[He was definitely smiling now. He pulled his knees up, pressing his cheek on them as his COMP dug uncomfortably into his stomach, he didn't care. Atsuro's words had left a warmth behind, one that he didn't want to let go so soon. Even if - he hadn't told Atsuro about - but, maybe he was right. Kazuya was, maybe, still Kazuya - somewhere. If Atsuro thought so... he had been unhappy but, he wouldn't've stuck around if he had become some monster, right?]
But, you shouldn't sell yourself short, either. I, you've been - I couldn't've... [Now it was his turn for his cheeks to pink a bit] You're the best friend, sidekick, partner - whatever, everything, I could've asked for, so... don't worry about, not being a good friend or anything 'cuz, I'll... always think you are.
[He lifted his head again, seemingly taking a bit of courage, even if he looked embarrassed]
So... thanks. I, really mean it...because - this is going to sound, kind of... but. At Horror Tower - Animus or, whatever the hell it was called - I, there was this, guy thing... Nyar- Nyarly? His name was odd, but... he got me thinking about stuff that, I just been kind of, ignoring and - if I don't treat it seriously, then, it's not serious. It won't impact me and, I won't have to worry about it. That's just running away though, isn't it? Hah... I was- am, pretty much...
[Scared, frightened, terrified - because fighting God was something not many people did and won. The original Bel, who knew its power and knew what the hell it was doing, lost against God, and Kazuya was pretty sure that God's strength had only grown throughout the passing centuries. How could he ever defeat something like that?! This wasn't some shonen manga, where Kazuya would defeat him through the power of Heart or friendship or some crap like that! He was the bad guy, technically! Bad guys always lost in those...
But treating it flippantly - 'yeah I kick God's ass and sit on his throne, you know, just another Monday' - meant it wasn't scary. Bragging about a Demon King, cracking wise and treating it all as a big joke, meant that this mistake he made didn't seem... as dangerous. He didn't know where to begin in explaining all this though. It was kind of weak wanting out of something he had thought deeply on, and made after reviewing all of his other choices. Kind of childish. Made his bed and had to sleep in it, and all that, but...
At least he had Atsuro with him. That wasn't a joke, or flippant, or, anything. That was just... was.]
It doesn't matter now though. I'm... I really appreciate you sticking by my dumb ass and, I don't think anything I can say will ever be able to show how much I appreciate it. I'm... kinda repeating myself now, aren't I? But it's, it's true.
[He looked Atsuro right in the eyes then, smiling openly. How long had it been since he did that? Forever, it felt like]
Thank you for being my friend, Atsuro. That's all I ever want from you.
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Well, what would he know? Kazuya knew he wasn't a very good friend either, if Atsuro was claiming that.]
...that...
['That was some speech!' was his first instinct to say. He bit down on it though - because he extended this talk first, and, he wasn't gonna run away when Atsuro met him half way. He felt like his stomach was a battleground for a great turmoil though, like he wasn't quite sure on which emotion to settle on. 'Not not you', huh? Kazuya... didn't know if he was still Kazuya, after all that had happened. Maybe the foundations were there, but, he looked back on his past self sometimes, and it was like looking at a totally different person. Maybe...]
Y-Yeah. You're -thanks. Atsuro you're... yeah.
[He was definitely smiling now. He pulled his knees up, pressing his cheek on them as his COMP dug uncomfortably into his stomach, he didn't care. Atsuro's words had left a warmth behind, one that he didn't want to let go so soon. Even if - he hadn't told Atsuro about - but, maybe he was right. Kazuya was, maybe, still Kazuya - somewhere. If Atsuro thought so... he had been unhappy but, he wouldn't've stuck around if he had become some monster, right?]
But, you shouldn't sell yourself short, either. I, you've been - I couldn't've... [Now it was his turn for his cheeks to pink a bit] You're the best friend, sidekick, partner - whatever, everything, I could've asked for, so... don't worry about, not being a good friend or anything 'cuz, I'll... always think you are.
[He lifted his head again, seemingly taking a bit of courage, even if he looked embarrassed]
So... thanks. I, really mean it...because - this is going to sound, kind of... but. At Horror Tower - Animus or, whatever the hell it was called - I, there was this, guy thing... Nyar- Nyarly? His name was odd, but... he got me thinking about stuff that, I just been kind of, ignoring and - if I don't treat it seriously, then, it's not serious. It won't impact me and, I won't have to worry about it. That's just running away though, isn't it? Hah... I was- am, pretty much...
[Scared, frightened, terrified - because fighting God was something not many people did and won. The original Bel, who knew its power and knew what the hell it was doing, lost against God, and Kazuya was pretty sure that God's strength had only grown throughout the passing centuries. How could he ever defeat something like that?! This wasn't some shonen manga, where Kazuya would defeat him through the power of Heart or friendship or some crap like that! He was the bad guy, technically! Bad guys always lost in those...
But treating it flippantly - 'yeah I kick God's ass and sit on his throne, you know, just another Monday' - meant it wasn't scary. Bragging about a Demon King, cracking wise and treating it all as a big joke, meant that this mistake he made didn't seem... as dangerous. He didn't know where to begin in explaining all this though. It was kind of weak wanting out of something he had thought deeply on, and made after reviewing all of his other choices. Kind of childish. Made his bed and had to sleep in it, and all that, but...
At least he had Atsuro with him. That wasn't a joke, or flippant, or, anything. That was just... was.]
It doesn't matter now though. I'm... I really appreciate you sticking by my dumb ass and, I don't think anything I can say will ever be able to show how much I appreciate it. I'm... kinda repeating myself now, aren't I? But it's, it's true.
[He looked Atsuro right in the eyes then, smiling openly. How long had it been since he did that? Forever, it felt like]
Thank you for being my friend, Atsuro. That's all I ever want from you.