[There's nothing he can do when he's tossed, hitting the pavement hard on his right arm and sliding across it, skipping like a stone across water. It hurt, but Kaneda was already trying to force himself up onto his elbows, watching as Tetsuo writhed in pain.]
Tetsuo! Stop doing that!
[You're hurting comes to mind first over That hurts.]
[The words echo deep; a quieter, more rational part of Tetsuo wants to find something to say - anything to say. That Kaneda still wants him around. That .... maybe something isn't as broken as he thought. That he's still needed. But it's not the first time things got confusing, and by now, Tetsuo can't tell what he thinks anymore.
By now, that little voice has long drowned underneath the storm in his head, and Tetsuo can't hear it.
He swallows back spit and glares defiance back at his former leader. Don't you even fucking pretend to pull that line now, Kaneda. You've already said enough.]
Is this handling yourself, Tetsuo? IS THIS WHAT YOU REALLY WANT?
[He's screaming by now, getting on his hands and knees, aiming it more towards the pavement than the actual person in question.
The Tetsuo he was trying to reach--the one that had shown up on the doorstep of Nonah 005 was no longer there. He'd partly caused it too, no matter how much he liked to tell himself that it wasn't his fault--that things were just playing out like they did at home.
Even he didn't believe himself.
Now...now he doesn't know what to do. This isn't Neo Tokyo. And this is a big, big problem. There's a third party.]
And what if you CAN'T? WHAT IF YOU'RE WRONG, TETSUO!
[What he wants - he'll figure that out, who cares, it's not important right now. He knows what he wants right now and that's enough, the rest'll come later. Tetsuo staggers to his feet, shoulders hunched, head low. He's primed and ready for a fight that isn't happening, caught up in adrenaline and raw energy]
You're so sure I can't do anything... Always pushing me around, always telling me what to do - you never had faith in me. Shit. You STILL see me as weak!
[He LOOKS weak, right about now, leaning heavily onto one leg, but he can't see himself. Maybe if he could, he wouldn't even care. He's too busy realizing that he CAN say what he's thinking; he CAN shove Kaneda around now, and he CAN -- he just can. Kaneda can't really stop him.]
I'm NOT - not anymore! I don't need your protection, and I don't need your permission! You don't want me to have a bike? Well, fine... I get it... But you don't have the Capsules anymore, Kaneda! It's just US now! You're not the boss of anything, so stop acting like you are!
[It's not often that Kaneda shows a break in his resolve. He'd always been strong, even when insulted to his face. Maybe it hurts more coming from Tetsuo himself. Maybe it hurts more because he knows how this plays out.
You don't have the Capsules anymore.
"What? YAMAGATA'S DEAD?"
"KANEDA!! YOU'RE ALIVE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THERE FOR SURE!!!"
"I'm going to send Yamagata his wheels...."
Not even Kaneda can hold back the tremors of his body at that line, the symbol on his jacket feeling incredibly small right now. The only member left of what he'd counted as family wasn't the one standing in front of him. And that...that was what he had always thought was a constant. TETSUO was his constant. And if that wasn't strength...]
God DAMN it, Tetsuo!
[His throat is sore at this point, getting to his feet himself. His arms still smarting, but he can at least hold his own ground, looking at the unstable remains of his friend. He wants to hit something. settling for a nearby lamp post as the 'clang!' rings throughout the surrounding area. It doesn't phase him, more concentrated on keeping it together.]
FINE. Well you know what, Tetsuo? You're an adult now. You don't need me, you don't need the Capsules, and you DAMN sure don't need your own respect. So go enjoy your little bike!
Remember what you gave up for it!
Because it is NOT COMING BACK.
[And underneath all that cursing. Underneath Kaneda's thick skin and thicker skull, a small voice--a younger one...
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Action;
Tetsuo! Stop doing that!
[You're hurting comes to mind first over That hurts.]
Action;
Why...? So you can... do whatever you want?
Action;
Because you're all I have, dumbass!!
And you're going to get yourself killed!!
Action;
By now, that little voice has long drowned underneath the storm in his head, and Tetsuo can't hear it.
He swallows back spit and glares defiance back at his former leader. Don't you even fucking pretend to pull that line now, Kaneda. You've already said enough.]
I can handle myself, Kaneda! I'm not a kid!
Action;
[He's screaming by now, getting on his hands and knees, aiming it more towards the pavement than the actual person in question.
The Tetsuo he was trying to reach--the one that had shown up on the doorstep of Nonah 005 was no longer there. He'd partly caused it too, no matter how much he liked to tell himself that it wasn't his fault--that things were just playing out like they did at home.
Even he didn't believe himself.
Now...now he doesn't know what to do. This isn't Neo Tokyo. And this is a big, big problem. There's a third party.]
And what if you CAN'T? WHAT IF YOU'RE WRONG, TETSUO!
Action;
[What he wants - he'll figure that out, who cares, it's not important right now. He knows what he wants right now and that's enough, the rest'll come later.
Tetsuo staggers to his feet, shoulders hunched, head low. He's primed and ready for a fight that isn't happening, caught up in adrenaline and raw energy]
You're so sure I can't do anything... Always pushing me around, always telling me what to do - you never had faith in me. Shit. You STILL see me as weak!
[He LOOKS weak, right about now, leaning heavily onto one leg, but he can't see himself. Maybe if he could, he wouldn't even care. He's too busy realizing that he CAN say what he's thinking; he CAN shove Kaneda around now, and he CAN -- he just can. Kaneda can't really stop him.]
I'm NOT - not anymore! I don't need your protection, and I don't need your permission! You don't want me to have a bike? Well, fine... I get it... But you don't have the Capsules anymore, Kaneda! It's just US now! You're not the boss of anything, so stop acting like you are!
Action;
[It's not often that Kaneda shows a break in his resolve. He'd always been strong, even when insulted to his face. Maybe it hurts more coming from Tetsuo himself. Maybe it hurts more because he knows how this plays out.
You don't have the Capsules anymore.
"What? YAMAGATA'S DEAD?"
"KANEDA!! YOU'RE ALIVE! I THOUGHT YOU WERE IN THERE FOR SURE!!!"
"I'm going to send Yamagata his wheels...."
Not even Kaneda can hold back the tremors of his body at that line, the symbol on his jacket feeling incredibly small right now. The only member left of what he'd counted as family wasn't the one standing in front of him. And that...that was what he had always thought was a constant. TETSUO was his constant. And if that wasn't strength...]
God DAMN it, Tetsuo!
[His throat is sore at this point, getting to his feet himself. His arms still smarting, but he can at least hold his own ground, looking at the unstable remains of his friend. He wants to hit something. settling for a nearby lamp post as the 'clang!' rings throughout the surrounding area. It doesn't phase him, more concentrated on keeping it together.]
FINE. Well you know what, Tetsuo? You're an adult now. You don't need me, you don't need the Capsules, and you DAMN sure don't need your own respect. So go enjoy your little bike!
Remember what you gave up for it!
Because it is NOT COMING BACK.
[And underneath all that cursing. Underneath Kaneda's thick skin and thicker skull, a small voice--a younger one...
Tetsuo...]