[Voice/Action]

[knightofratatosk]

[It was over. Everything was over now. And once again, much as it was after they had dealt with Diavolo, Emil finds himself limping back home, exhausted and in pain and vaguely sick at the realization that they'd had to kill Zelman to end all of this. Although he wasn't the one who struck the killing blow, it still distresses him to know that he played a role in the whole thing. At least everyone is safe now... right? He takes his journal out and opens it to ask.]

I-is everyone all right? It's... we stopped Zelman. It's over now... [His voice is tired, shaky, with a slight note of disbelief.]

[Now he just hopes he can make it home without collapsing first.]

Comments

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

[A slight nod, again not meeting Richter's eyes.]

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[he takes the glass back from Emil and returns to the kitchen. He's starting to wonder if he made a mistake, allowing the boy to return to the apartment instead of the clinic.]

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Well, he's here now, and there's no way he's making it all the way over to the clinic on his own.]

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[true. Richter returns with a refill and hands that over to Emil too. Try drinking slowly this time.]

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[knightofratatosk]

[This time he doesn't gulp the whole thing, but instead sips at it slowly.]

... I'm sorry. For worrying you.

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

... It's fine.

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

[Well, it's not fine in his eyes, but he won't press it. He doesn't want to upset Richter any further. There is something he's been wondering about, however.]

I, um...

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

Hm?

[he knows that tone of voice... It usually precedes something bad.]

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[knightofratatosk]

I-I was wondering if we could...

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[very bad. Very, very bad!]

...

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[knightofratatosk]

[How little faith in him you have, Richter.]

Could we... t-try kissing again?

[There, he said it.]

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[obviously, he was right to have little faith. That's exactly what he was expecting.]

... You're supposed to be resting.

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[knightofratatosk]

But I...

[And there's the kicked-puppy expression.]

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[you and your kicked puppy! Richter can't help but sigh]

I've told you before. These kind of things are a sign of romance. You don't just do them. You need to wait for the appropriate time.

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

I... oh.

[It's not his fault; he didn't know that. The kid is kind of clueless, okay.]

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[Richter only knows because he read about these things in books. Sybak researchers get to use the library for their leisure time too.]

You'll know when the moment is right.

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

Oh... how will I know?

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

... Intuition, I suppose.

[he doesn't have a clue how to explain it.]

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[knightofratatosk]

So I'll just know? There aren't any signs or anything?

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[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

None that I know of.

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[knightofratatosk]

I see...

[He doesn't, really, but that's okay.]

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

[he doesn't have to see. That intuition will kick in either way.]

Then, get to sleep.

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

[He nods and lies down. Upon trying to pull the covers up over himself, however, he flinches again.]

[action]

[judge-evening.livejournal.com]

... Are you still injured somewhere?

[action]

[knightofratatosk]

... my shoulder.

[Not even going to lie this time... Jade nailed him there with that Sonic Spear.]