dissimilates | INBOX.

[ -- ah, that feels like a lifetime ago. kogami decides against telling him he's coming home. at least, for now. ]

That was a couple of years ago for me. Guess I really did do as you said.

A couple years ago?

( conversations that should be had in person, for 100. )

What happened?

I mean ( telling him not to contact him is well ang good, but the notion of not seeing him for years is somehow. way, way worse. he frowns at himself. ) does that mean you're safe?

We should talk about this in person, Gino.

[ now kogami's curious -- why would he care? why does it matter if he's determined to scrub the memory of him from his mind? ]

Fair enough. Are you busy today?

I can make time. When are you free?

I'm out walking Dime right now. Meet up with us?

( insert address here!! )

[ and he's there in fifteen minutes!! crouching to greet dime when the boy excitedly charges up to him! ]

( dime greets kogami a bit warmer than gino had — yanking the leash entirely out of gino's hand as he goes bolting towards him. it's pretty odd behavior from a therapy dog like him, but he can't be blamed. he loves kogami! and he's missed him. there's a slobbering wet tongue on his nose pretty quickly, although he spares a minute to sniff around kogami's collar, too.

smells different!

gino actually laughs, although its a little strained, quickly jogging to meet them. )

Dime says hi. ( clearly. and gino also says, ) Hi.

[ kogami's burying his face in dime's fur because he misses him, too! and dime earns enthusiastic ear rubs for his trouble. who's a good boy? dime is!

gino laughs, just a little, and kogami's attention is caught as he pulls away from the dog, unable to help a small smile. ]

Hi, you. Enjoying your walk?

( recollecting dime's leash, gino gives a subtle nod, glancing around the park they find themselves in. )

Dime is liking the freedom.

( a little hard earned, )

I guess I am too. You said you've been here awhile?

[ liking the freedom, huh? this world might have its many faults and shortcomings, but kogami can't deny the freedom it offers -- peace, so far; its people, largely autonomous and not beholden to numbers.

he straightens up. ]

A little more than a month, now. I came in from Tibet, where I was before.

( tibet. gino lifts a brow in momentary thought, surprised in equal parts intrigued.

ultimately, there's only one thing that matters, though. )

And you're safe? ( after a beat, ) Not in the middle of some war, I mean. Not getting your ass kicked by someone half made of metal — that kind of thing.

Does it matter?

[ kogami asks him, genuinely curious. after all, the last couple of times he had seen him, the man had been skirting viciousness, if not outright.

bemused, he continues. ]

That's a strange expression you're having, if you mean for it to be disappointment.

( for a moment, the only response kogami receives in a blank blink in his direction, gino’s head barely tilted to one side in open confusion. once he can’t reason through it himself, he shakes his head once like cutting a fine line, brows loosely knotted. )

Why wouldn’t it matter?

( he’s certainly known kogami to be dissatisfied, but never outright depressed. )

You’re my best friend, Kogami. Why would I be disa — ( and then a light flashes behind his eyes, like he finally gets it. ) oh.

( because you told him as much, you walnut. )

[ ah, now there's a surprise. kogami is silent for a moment before offering the smallest half smile, hands in his pockets. ]

Tibet was... interesting.

[ far be it for kogami to keep putting gino in the spot like this -- after all, kogami's not that cruel. ]

Are you getting used to this place?

I don't hate you.

( he says, instead of answering his question — perhaps he never really heard it in the first place, too alarmed by the sudden realization that he's allowed his best friend to go on, however long, believing something inherently not true. gino might be poor at explaining himself on the best of days, but he's not one to let misunderstandings redefine a years long friendship. not when he's already lost his father, truly lost him, not when kogami is the only friend he really has apart from akane herself.

years ago, kogami had said. years they haven't seen each other. would gino ever change his mind, his perspective on kogami? in a few years time, will he really have no one based on something he said days ago? )

I told you to stay away because of the position you would've put the Inspector in, if you'd come back. ( he steels his gaze, a little helplessly ) I'm not sure what happens in the next few years, but that much is the truth. I wouldn't have reached out, if our relationship has been long since buried.

[ silence happens in the next few years -- silence that kogami interprets as an eagerness to forget -- not that he would blame either of them for all the things that have gone down.

he pauses, hands in his pockets as he regards him, his own eyes carefully unreadable in the evening light. yes, he would've put akane in an untenable position, and even if he hadn't, kogami hadn't meant to come back. not after what he's done.

he exhales, then looks at dime before glancing further down the road. gino's as honest as he can be, which is the strangest thing when the man has constantly been defensive, with a chip on his shoulder because of his father, but then it stands to reason that gino's changed at least a little, right? ]

I wouldn't have returned. [ he says at last. ] At least, back then. Up for a drink?

INBOX.

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dw why wont u send me my notifs

dw hates us, precious

pouts!!!!

asdkjasdhkhf KEESES SOFTLY :3

:3c ok much better

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