[ comes and sits down outside the barrier. the emotions are sad and tired and anxious, because he never knows what to say during these conversations and he feels like he usually just makes things worse. but he'd felt bad about not coming to see daan last week, and he doesn't really want to end up feeling that way again.

it's selfish, like everything else he does. ]

...Robin-san.

[ her emotions are the terrible violent and bloodthirsty kind. it's bad in here. she looks as unhappy as you'd expect. ]

What do you want?

[ ah. well. that's fine. ]

I don't know. I wanted to hear what you had to say, I guess. About what happened, or about all the things we don't understand.

What is there to say? What could you possibly want to know and understand?

I mean, I think wanting to understand the facts of the murders that happened is pretty straightforward, at least.

But I'd also like to understand what it was that you wanted. Since you made a big point of telling everyone they didn't know.

What does anyone out of life, Mr. Todomatsu? Isn't it to live?

He died. I lived. That's straightforward.

I don't know. Is it? Is this living, the way you are now, or just existing?

[ there is a wicked amusement that laces through her awful emotions. ]

And you? Is anything you've done anything more than just exist? Have you done anything that gave you fulfillment? It didn't look like it to me.

Nope. Not a damn thing.

So where do you come from, asking me something like that?

[ her anger feels like it's building. ]

That's exactly why I'm asking it. Because no, just being alive without any meaning isn't all anyone should want out of life, and I don't believe that's all you want either.

[ there's a bone tiredness that manages to supersede some of the violence and bloodthirst. ]

... There is always more meaning to be found. It just takes more and longer for some.

...Okay.

[ he really doesn't believe that, but he isn't going to say so. though there might be a hint of despair coming through in his emotions that gives it away anyway. ]

So you thought you could find it for yourself like this?

[ she is used to people not believer her. it's fine. ]

I don't think my situation is similar to yours right now, Mr. Todomatsu.

Well, I sure hope not. It doesn't mean I don't want to understand yours, though.

[ she is silent for a long while, and he can feel her emotions go haywire. the violence lashes out. the sadness bursts. the bloodthirst seizes. her grief surges. ]

I don't want to live as someone who betrays my ideals, but I don't want to die before knowing my brother is safe.

...Oh.

[ well. between those emotions and her words, that punches him in the gut pretty hard.

his brothers are the most annoying pieces of shit in the world, and he wants to kill them all the time, but...

he remembers waiting in his empty house for almost two months for them to come home when he was in that other world, not sure where or why they were gone. how much it felt like a part of him was missing. how lonely and out of place he still feels here without them. ]

Okay. I think I get that. Sorry.

[ she knows about his brothers, and she knows he's almost always been with them. they don't have quite the same relationship, but she does think he can understand what she's feeling. ]

... It's all right. I've accepted what's going to happen.

[ nods... ]

...Do you think we're still going to get out of here in the end? Everyone on both sides. You might still be able to find him.

[ something churns in her emotions. ]

We have a method now. We only have to go forward with it.

[ she purposefully doesn't respond to the last part. ]

[ he notices that, but won't mention it further. ]

...Mm. And hope we don't mess it up in the home stretch, yeah.