Baron Samedi. His real name is Ronald Knox though. To be honest, I was hoping I could talk to you about that. If you don't mind.
[If it's not clear, he doesn't exactly care for it either and that's why he's turning to Yamato now. Horikawa's loyalty never ran quite as true; it was more to certain ideas and those that embodied them rather than singular people and relationships -- save one. But that compass is cracked and impossible to read now and Yamato is the closest thing to embodying his own feelings that remain about what it means to be a shinki. Too many people here took their role so casually, he thinks.]
[Not a name Yamato's familiar with, but then again, maybe that's a good thing. Yamato's track record in friends isn't turning out so well, Souji not included.
He's not even sure he'd call Horikawa a friend, if only because they've walked different paths here. But Horikawa's never done anything wrong, and Yamato's always been more partial to shinki than gods anyway. If he's having a hard time with this stuff, then Yamato wants to help however he can.]
[Horikawa's reply doesn't come right away because he spends so much time writing and rewriting it until he finally settles on one questions, not wanting to overwhelm the other with too much.]
Do you think the comings and goings of gods could have anything to do with their shinki?
Sure, he's earned his reputation as a bit of an airhead, and he definitely deserves it to some degree. But he isn't an idiot, and he isn't blind, and if there's anything he has innate intuition for apart from battles, it's this.
His heart goes out to Horikawa, and his own reply is a little delayed, as he considers what he wants to say.]
i don't know... but i don't think it was anything you did, horikawa-kun. [Yamato's own feelings on his god's disappearance are chaotic and not without a decent helping of self-blame. But his situation has nothing to do with Horikawa's, and he can't fathom the idea that Horikawa might be responsible for the possible destruction of his own gods, even though "bad luck" isn't much comfort.] tsuzuki-kun told me once he thinks something is trying to covertly attack the heavens. if that's true then all gods are at risk, but not because of us.
[There's a pause, and then a second message, a little softer. This one is more emotional than the clinical observations of potential threats, but both sides of Yamato lead him to the same conclusion nonetheless. It's not Horikawa's fault.] besides, a disappearance doesn't mean they're gone for good... commander-kun isn't the only god who left and came back. don't lose hope okay?
[Yamato's ability to get right to the heart of it is striking and it leaves Horikawa, once again, fumbling for a reply. In spite of their brief, tenuous, bouts of company, if there was one thing that was clear about Yamato, it was his devotion to his god and how seriously he took that relationship. If Horikawa allows himself to be honest, jealous even, he wants that for himself.
But he doesn't say so. It wouldn't be fair to compare their circumstances. And he meant it, truly and honestly, when he said he was glad to hear this Commander-kun had returned.
But it's easier to see how devotion could easily turn to self doubt in this circumstances and if Yamato is someone that persevered then it gives Horikawa hope that he can do the same.]
So perhaps the new gods are simply more susceptible to whatever forces are working against them? [If that's the case it gives them even more reason to do their job, and do it well, but does also absolve them of blame. At least directly.]
There is something else though. [He adds shortly after, because they're not the same, and it would feel like a lie not to come completely clean.]
it could be yes. it's hard to say for sure but I know you're not a bad shinki.
[Yamato's biased towards shinki in general, but in this case, he definitely means it. Horikawa still makes him uncomfortable, and thinking about that makes him uncomfortable, but he would never wish this kind of self-doubt and worry on anyone else.]
[Text can be a rather cold form a communication, especially like this without one's own hand to give it personality. But he hopes the genuine appreciation shines through.
Especially when put at odds with what he's about to ask.]
I know this is purely hypothetical but. What might you have done if you didn't get along with the commander? Or if she somehow made it seem like she didn't want you?
[He sends the query off without trying to think about it too much but but he quickly amends.] Ah if that's too much then, at the very least, I would be curious what you would advise for another shinki in that situation.
[It's hard to imagine now, but it's not like the thought hadn't crossed his mind in those first few days. It's only been a few months, hardly the span of a breath to a sword dead person, and remembers his feelings clearly enough that an answer isn't too hard.
That being said, though, after all he's seen and heard, it's probably not the same as what he would've said back then.]
well, I think it's important to be loyal and take care of your god as much as you can because you were given to them because they need you right? so even if your personalities don't match I think you can still love each other
[Ah yes, there it is--the inability to differentiate between loyalty and love. They've always been the same for him, so why should that change now?]
but if they were treating you badly... like hurting you or neglecting you or being cruel then I think it's okay to ask to be released. there's no reason to stay together if you aren't supporting each other to the best of your abilities right
[Easier said than done, he's aware, but that's still his go-to answer. Becoming a nora to get away from a bad god? Nope. Still unacceptable.
If she hadn't wanted him, though... the very thought has his stomach twisting. He already knows his answer to that, too, but he hates thinking about a situation like that.]
if she didn't want me then I would serve her anyway
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
[If it's not clear, he doesn't exactly care for it either and that's why he's turning to Yamato now. Horikawa's loyalty never ran quite as true; it was more to certain ideas and those that embodied them rather than singular people and relationships -- save one. But that compass is cracked and impossible to read now and Yamato is the closest thing to embodying his own feelings that remain about what it means to be a shinki. Too many people here took their role so casually, he thinks.]
no subject
He's not even sure he'd call Horikawa a friend, if only because they've walked different paths here. But Horikawa's never done anything wrong, and Yamato's always been more partial to shinki than gods anyway. If he's having a hard time with this stuff, then Yamato wants to help however he can.]
of course what is it?
no subject
Do you think the comings and goings of gods could have anything to do with their shinki?
no subject
Sure, he's earned his reputation as a bit of an airhead, and he definitely deserves it to some degree. But he isn't an idiot, and he isn't blind, and if there's anything he has innate intuition for apart from battles, it's this.
His heart goes out to Horikawa, and his own reply is a little delayed, as he considers what he wants to say.]
i don't know... but i don't think it was anything you did, horikawa-kun. [Yamato's own feelings on his god's disappearance are chaotic and not without a decent helping of self-blame. But his situation has nothing to do with Horikawa's, and he can't fathom the idea that Horikawa might be responsible for the possible destruction of his own gods, even though "bad luck" isn't much comfort.] tsuzuki-kun told me once he thinks something is trying to covertly attack the heavens. if that's true then all gods are at risk, but not because of us.
[There's a pause, and then a second message, a little softer. This one is more emotional than the clinical observations of potential threats, but both sides of Yamato lead him to the same conclusion nonetheless. It's not Horikawa's fault.] besides, a disappearance doesn't mean they're gone for good... commander-kun isn't the only god who left and came back. don't lose hope okay?
no subject
But he doesn't say so. It wouldn't be fair to compare their circumstances. And he meant it, truly and honestly, when he said he was glad to hear this Commander-kun had returned.
But it's easier to see how devotion could easily turn to self doubt in this circumstances and if Yamato is someone that persevered then it gives Horikawa hope that he can do the same.]
So perhaps the new gods are simply more susceptible to whatever forces are working against them? [If that's the case it gives them even more reason to do their job, and do it well, but does also absolve them of blame. At least directly.]
There is something else though. [He adds shortly after, because they're not the same, and it would feel like a lie not to come completely clean.]
no subject
[Yamato's biased towards shinki in general, but in this case, he definitely means it. Horikawa still makes him uncomfortable, and thinking about that makes him uncomfortable, but he would never wish this kind of self-doubt and worry on anyone else.]
what is it?
no subject
[Text can be a rather cold form a communication, especially like this without one's own hand to give it personality. But he hopes the genuine appreciation shines through.
Especially when put at odds with what he's about to ask.]
I know this is purely hypothetical but. What might you have done if you didn't get along with the commander? Or if she somehow made it seem like she didn't want you?
[He sends the query off without trying to think about it too much but but he quickly amends.] Ah if that's too much then, at the very least, I would be curious what you would advise for another shinki in that situation.
no subject
sworddead person, and remembers his feelings clearly enough that an answer isn't too hard.That being said, though, after all he's seen and heard, it's probably not the same as what he would've said back then.]
well, I think it's important to be loyal and take care of your god as much as you can because you were given to them because they need you right? so even if your personalities don't match I think you can still love each other
[Ah yes, there it is--the inability to differentiate between loyalty and love. They've always been the same for him, so why should that change now?]
but if they were treating you badly... like hurting you or neglecting you or being cruel then I think it's okay to ask to be released. there's no reason to stay together if you aren't supporting each other to the best of your abilities right
[Easier said than done, he's aware, but that's still his go-to answer. Becoming a nora to get away from a bad god? Nope. Still unacceptable.
If she hadn't wanted him, though... the very thought has his stomach twisting. He already knows his answer to that, too, but he hates thinking about a situation like that.]
if she didn't want me then I would serve her anyway