[IC]

[woodfortono]

[knocking on the door of takeru's cabin and not bothering to wait for an answer as he pushes it open when it's unlocked]

Hey, Takeru, I--oh.

Comments

[woodfortono]

I'm sorry.

[blurts out before he bites his lower lip again hard, shaking his head]

Just--stuff sucks right now and... sorry. I hate not knowing how to help.

[blueondeck]

What are you trying to help?

[woodfortono]

Well--I know you're... something about the fact that I'm dating Takeru now. And he told me a little about stuff with you and Luka.

[blueondeck]

. . .

You shouldn't be worrying about it. It will all eventually pass.

[woodfortono]

I'm worried about it because I give a crap about you. [impatiently] If I can't do anything to help, just tell me, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna worry.

[blueondeck]

You can't do anything to help.

[woodfortono]

[looks a little slapped before he drops his eyes, sucking in a slow breath and gritting his teeth hard before he deliberately exhales, not looking up at you]

...fine. [reaching back for the door handle] I--okay. If I see Takeru, I'll tell him you're here.

[blueondeck]

[He heard you perfectly, but still goes on as if you didn't speak]

Luka's choice is her own. Only Marvelous can fix the mess of his crew at this point. I don't like the idea that I destroyed my team so easily, but I'm powerless in this situation.

As for the other situation, It's better not to concern yourself with it.

[woodfortono]

[freezes]

You didn't destroy anything. ...is that what she said?

[blueondeck]

She was probably just upset.

[woodfortono]

That doesn't mean she's not full of shit. [sets his jaw] When I talked to Don after what happened, we were both worried about you. I hate Basco as much as the next guy and I know what it's like to have him kick the crap out of me--I wasn't exactly throwing a party over you staying with him. But that doesn't mean you're not my friend anymore. And if she's mad enough at you to not want anything to do with you that's her own business, but you didn't break up your team--it takes a whole team to do that.

[blueondeck]

... You're getting worked up. What she chooses to say in the heat of the moment, however it sounds, is my fault for not only reacting the way I did, but pushing everyone away.

I hurt people by being hurt. She was right. You were included, weren't you? I avoided you, pushed you away and desperately tried to stop wanting.

[woodfortono]

Of course I'm getting worked up! Can you even hear yourself? Stuff she says isn't your fault, that's crazy.

And, yeah, it pissed me off when you wouldn't talk to me, but the fact that I didn't like it didn't mean that it wasn't allowed. It was how you dealt with it. And it was other teammates that helped push you into dealing with it that way, too, not only is putting all the blame on you wrong, it also makes no sense.

[wait, what?]

...stop wanting what?

[blueondeck]

[Why did you even catch that]

Marvelous and I will talk to her. Everything will turn out fine.

[woodfortono]

Yeah, it will, but it's still not your fault. [stepping away from the door]

Stop wanting what?

[blueondeck]

[watching you]

I didn't mean to say that.

[woodfortono]

That doesn't mean you didn't mean...

[he's looking at you hard, but then his eyes widen as the bottom starts to drop out of his stomach and he sits down on the bed next to you suddenly, staring down at his hands]

Oh. [drags his eyes back up to you, looking helpless and uncertain] Joe...

[blueondeck]

[Was not looking at you as you realized but just stares as you sits down. That look...]

What?

[woodfortono]

[swallows hard, his belly knotting]

...why didn't you say anything?

[blueondeck]

About...

[OH. Oh. Oh you mean... Goes back to long looking at you]

You think I knew something like that?

[woodfortono]

You--

[stares at you for a second before he huffs out a laugh, turning to butt his head gently against your shoulder]

...I'm sorry.

[blueondeck]

Sorry for what? You have no reason to apologize.

[woodfortono]

Yeah, well... still. [still leaning against you a little]

[blueondeck]

Still? [Watching you carefully...]

[woodfortono]

I mean. [looks up at you, drawing back a little] I didn't know you... you wanted anything more from me. Especially with what a mess everything ended up being. But that--that still sucks. And I'm sorry.