Returning the Favor (Charles)

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

Charles fell back into his chair with a content smile on his face. His eyes were closed as he pondered on the sensation of Shunnosuke's warm face still lingering on his palm, even after he had removed it. He wasn't gonna panic now because of what he just did, Shunnosuke didn't seem to mind.

"Oh, right. I don't know how to finish that sentence..." Charles chuckled and grinned at Shunnosuke. "I thought I'd know, but I just can't think of anything I'd want to ask you right now, because..." He lowered his gaze, almost like he was embarrassed. And he kind of was... What just happened, and his new concepts about Shunnosuke really flustered him, but in a good way. And that was why he wasn't going to ask anything more. That was why he felt so much closer to the person at the other side of the table... Yes, Shunnosuke was his friend now. "I think I got to understand you a bit better after all of this, so, for now, I'm more than happy with what I already know." He raised his head again, and put a hand on the cap Shunnosuke so kindly retrieved for him. "I really need to thank you again, this time, properly. If it weren't for you, I never would have gotten my cap back. Thanks."

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

Is that so? No more questions then? Fine. Shunnosuke nodded to that, he could roll along. By now he was sort of much more comfortable with the interrogatory, so he wouldn't mind any more joking questions thrown at him.

— It was nothing. I am in debt with you and that's the least I can do. — He said, simply. Really, returning the cap to the owner was not time-consuming or a exhaustive task at all. All he had to do was demand some of his subordinates to wash it and add some scent to the cap. It was fun how the android considered that a big deal. Now...what Charles had said before made him intrigued and curious again. He wasn't going to ask more questions, was he? Alright. So now it's Shun's opportunity to turn the tables. — What do you know about me, then? Do explain yourself.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

It was something, no matter what Shunnosuke decided to believe. Charles would forever cherish this cap that had been returned to him by this godly apparition, this powerful monarch destined for big things, while he was just a Charles. This new atmosphere in the room made it way easier to relax. Without even noticing, Charles had let himself completely loose at that moment, lost in thought. That's why Shunnosuke's sudden retaliation shook him up a bit and, he felt himself crumbling against the embarrassing nature of the clashing question and the only honest answer he could provide to it.

"Hmm. Oh, right." Charles grinned awkwardly. "D-do I have to? I-I'm the police officer here, not you, right? Eheheh..."

It was gonna be for naught anyways, wasn't it? Why even try to avoid it, Shunnosuke would just use his rich powers to drain the answer out of him by force somehow... Charles exasperatedly let his face drop on the table... "T-that you're kind and all that... Scary, but kind, and you have problems just like everyone else... And you deserve to be able to cry them out just like everyone else... That I am really grateful that I got to know you..." He mumbled the answer into the table incoherently, before raising his head just enough so that he could raise his eyes and look at Shunnosuke, like a lost pup avaiting its judgement. "Please don't smolder me with your brilliance..."

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

— ... — He decided to keep his silence for a little longer. Not that he didn't have much to say, and in all honesty, yes, he didn't. But mainly he didn't know where to start. He could even pass the "scary" adjective because he didn't really think he was scary at all. Harsh and frank, but not scary. The other things Charles said, however, had a degree of impact in him.

"You have problems just like everyone else."
"You deserve to be able to cry them out."

Returning the Favor (Charles) - Page 2 CHmgKLc

— I...won't... — He opened his mouth, lowering his gaze to the table and averting to look directly at Charles, almost as if he was trying to say something but the words wouldn't come out. This...is not his programming, is it? This is him. It's who he is. It's not an android right in front of him, it's another person. A real person, even more real than those he knew. And...Shunnosuke liked it. So much that it felt embarrassing and guilty to even receive such words from someone to whom he was nothing but harsh and despicable. How to redeem himself? — I'm sorry... For the last time. I really am... — He knew very well sometimes an apology is not enough. But it's as much as he could offer right now. And hopefully, Charles would accept it.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

"...t-that's a relief..." Charles kept staring up at Shunnosuke as the other decided to return his gaze. Word by word, the fear in his heart was slowly lifted as Shunnosuke kept talking, and the android slowly began to raise his head, a smile forming on his lips.

"No, it's all right. You never did anything wrong." He spoke slowly, knowing exactly what he was gonna say. He wasn't mad at Shunnosuke. He had never been mad at him. He only had respect for the Kurosawa, as well as... Yes, he admired and loved the person at the other side of the table. The person that was so distant even at hand's reach... The person that could very well hold one this archipelago on his palm if he wished to, but rather chose to converse with him. He was grateful and happy, happy not only because Shunnosuke was here with him right now, but also because he had managed to help him, and vice-versa. All of this, all of this was what he felt as he got up from his chair. "Don't worry about anything ~" The words, steady in the stale atmosphere... and an extended hand, just waiting to be shook.

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

"You never did anything wrong", huh? That didn't feel right. It's not the proper thing to say to someone who acknowledges his own mistakes. If he were as self-absorbed as before, he likely would take that with a smile and nod, but...he was not that person anymore. He knew the consequences of his act and he'd own them up if he had to. So, when Charles said that and extended a hand to him, he only shook his head, refusing those words regardless of the kind intent explicit in them. — You don't truly believe it. I could see in your eyes back then that I did, yes, say something that was a step over the line. There's no sugarcoating here... — This was still a bit awkward to Shunnosuke. The whole dealing with a creature that, otherwise inanimated, was as sentient and lively as a human. How to handle him if not treating him as the human he wants to be? — ...You still can't lie like humans do, can you? — He didn't take Charles's offer for a handshake. Not yet. But he smiled, weakly and timidly, but the appreciation gesture was there, in his lips. It was good that Charles still didn't have this ability to trick and deceive like most humans do. Like he himself does. It did remind him of a certain someone he met and who, sadly, was gone by...

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

Charles blinked as his smile faded into a confused stare. But he decided not to get flustered over it, because he knew what he meant when he said what he said. So his smile returned to his lips and he left his palm open for Shunnosuke to take. "Yes, I won't deny it, your words did hurt me back then, but... You were in much more pain than I was. There were moments in the past when I also said hurtful things in the spur of my own pain and anger..." His glance faltered for a moment, but he kept it in check, and returned it to Shunnosuke's face, as his own face contorted into a determined frown, adorned with that same friendly smile as before. "So then, if you won't take it that way, I'm gonna have to rephrase myself. You were wrong, but! I forgive you for saying what you said."

"And no, I don't think I can lie like humans can, but isn't that a good thing? Lying is bad, that is what I know..." His eyes closed again as he expected a firm grip to soon embrace his hand.

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

Charles rephrasing it gave to the whole moment a much firmer sense of reality than before. He knew that, for a relationship of two to grow, honesty was an indispensable trait. Something he learned over the years, as he also learned there are ways for resorting to said honesty and frankness without hurting someone else's feelings. Even though, he realized he failed in putting said lesson in practice. Charles was forgiving...like many humans can not be. Whether he was following the Three Laws of Robotics or not, he wouldn't know... Then again, Alphonse was also an android and his personality was not as submissive and kind as Charles's, and maybe that's where the latter stands out. Being able to be more human than most. More than him, even. He couldn't be more right, that's indeed a good thing.

— Yes...that's a great thing... — He snickered, and soon it quickly evolved into a childish giggle as he took Charles's hand with his own. Both of his. — ...This is rather troublesome for me, so I should anticipate myself and ask for forgiveness in case I commit another mistake against you because of your nature. And...I hope it never comes the day when you'll stop being this person, then. — Yes, "person". He said it, much to his own surprise. And it wasn't any hard at all, to treat Charles as an equal.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

To be honest, since the beggining, there had been an itsy bitsy bug in the back of Charles's head. A seed of worry that Shunnosuke wouldn't grab his hand. That he would not feel the warm embrace of his palm... Because why should he even waste his time on someone like Charles? But there was naught to worry over, and Charles fully loosened up as he felt the warmth on his palm... and not only that? Why was his hand warm all over?

Peeking his eyes open, Charles could not resist the temptation to look. The scene that awaited him threw him fully out of tact; Shunnosuke had literally grabbed his hand with both of his hands! And what he said... it was better than any apolgy he could ever muster. Yes, this ackowledgement that Shunnosuke decided to provide for Charles... For him... It was the most beautiful gift he could've given him. Charles nodded, as Shunnosuke could feel Charles's hand grabbing back at his. "Yes! I hope so too." As he kept his full attention on the other boy.

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

As Shunnosuke felt the grasp in his hand, he lowered his gaze to them. — Your hand is not as hard as I thought... — He smiled in a sort of disconcerted manner. The feeling on their fingers... Has technology really advanced so much that even synthetic skin provides the sensation of closely similar to real skin? He had been aware of the improvement in the area, and yet he would never ceased to be amazed by it. — ...You said you also have expressed hurtful things due to heat of the moment, right? You definitely don't have the obligation to tell me, but...would you? — Should he even be asking such thing in first place? It was hardly a question he would accept from a person he had just met, after two years. But...he was curious, what would have caused this rather awkward person to act out of his normal self? Or who? He had already a hint, but he didn't want to speculate wrongly. That and, if he was going to treat Charles as a human, he better start talking to him like he's one.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

"Is it not?" Charles asked back, grinning, almost embarrassedly. What was Shunnosuke expecting, cold metal? Probably, that was what anyone would expect... But of course, Charles wasn't just some piece of scrap, nope, even more so ever since Jack fixed him up. Now he was a 100% awesome, mp3 compatible piece of latest hardware. Still, he wouldn't deny the fact that is was rather nice how Shunnosuke started addressing him more personally now.

And then the question came, and Charles's grin halted for a moment as his face turned blank and confused. Shunnosuke really had a knack for asking these sorts of question... He chuckled inside, and it helped him gather his composure back. He smiled again. "Right, it was my girlfriend." He began, rather unexpectedly calmly. Still, it would come as no surprise, as he decided 2 years ago already to let go of these stresses, and, despite experiencing that moment of weakness last time he met Mae, he was still trying his best to stay against the very idea of them getting back together... Even if it felt so welcoming... "I... I kind of left her in the rain one day on our date, ahahah... hah. But it wasn't her fault, it was that the situation back then was sort of complicated... on my side, at least..." He glanced down. Hah, it was sort of turning into a habit while he was talking to Shunn, though, this time, it seemed to be because he was trying to reminisce. Sure, he was also embarrassed to talk about it and still felt kind of guilty, but he was fine. "A-and there was this one time I yelled at Jack... But we got over all of that, and it's all better now. Yes."

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

...so, it was true. He knew his hunch would hardly be wrong the moment Charles first implied it and, as the android begun telling his tale, Shunnosuke knew for sure it had something to do with his former girlfriend. "Mae". It was a simple name, too simple for him to forget. — ...I see. — He said, retreating his hands slowly and awkwardly to his lap, lowered gaze focused on the table before he spoke again. Took him some time to return the dialogue back to the table, but...he didn't feel another better opportunity than that. — Do you remember the day we met? At the clothing store, back then... You probably will recall that day. I was invited over by the tall guy to assist you with the task of dressing over for a date, yes? But...that was it. While I anticipated the meeting and I was quite happy about it, I've come to realize that, to him, it mattered little, for he only called me over because he can't handle fashion himself. Nothing else... After your departure, I did the same as you. I left him in the middle of the meeting. Maybe it was something I shouldn't have done, but...it pained me to realize my importance only came in because he needed help with something he couldn't get done easily. Not because he truly wanted me close as much as I wanted him.... — His hands were fidgeting in his lap. He was over that, wasn't he? He definitely was. He harbors no deeper feelings for Sharaku whatsoever, not anymore. So why was the memory still painful...? Why did it feel like he had not recovered his pride? — I don't blame you. Even though I don't know what caused you to leave her...you had your reasons. As selfish as they may sound to an outsider, they were yours. They still are, for only you are able to know exactly what you felt and that's for none to judge.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

Charles listened closely to Shunnosuke's tale. He sat down and placed his hands on the table as he watched and lost himself in the other's words. That surely was a similiar situation to his... Though he only left Mae- no, his decision was selfish as well, even if it was brought upon by an outside factor. And then when he went on to say the final part, Charles nodded. "I'll try my best not to blame myself." He said, simply, as if accepting a command, whereas he had already decided for himself it would be best if he wouldn't blame himself (he still considered what he did was definitely and 100% wrong, but he had to let go, like he promised himself). He wanted to keep on talking and tell Shunnosuke not to blame himself either, but he just couldn't. Even if he did, Shunnosuke probably wouldn't accept that as right and correct. That's what Charles learned about him new. Not only was he frank towards others, but he was also frank towards himself. No sugarcoating allowed. So he decided he wouldn't sugarcoat it this time, even if he would have truly meant it had he told him not to blame himself. "I remember that day. Oh right, I also kind of burst out at you that time, haha. Sorry about that." He chuckled, but then his expression turned serious again as he focused on Shunnosuke. "So, do you still regret acting like that?"

Posts : 1664 Join date : 2014-05-22

If he regretted acting like that? — I never did. I wasn't enjoying being there with him as I initially thought I'd be, and so I decided it was not worth the trouble. Trying to sort it out with a frank discussion wouldn't do any good either... It might not be the best option, I could have talked it out... But I decided to be faithful to myself. — He shrugged, in a way that made it clear the memory was quite tiresome. Having posterior extensive discussions with Sharaku about it has grown quite exhaustive over the time and hardly a mutual agreement and understanding would be achieved. What about Charles? Does he feel remorse for leaving her in the middle of their date? He wondered... — In case you feel remorseful over your decision, if anything, you should be letting for my efforts in making you handsome go to waste. That's unforgivable. — That was a depressing topic, wasn't it? So nothing better than lighting up the mood with a simple humorous banter.

Posts : 2877 Join date : 2014-12-26 Age : 26

"H-huh?" Charles found himself dumbfounded before Shunnosuke's accusation. "I-I..." He'd never thought of it like that, but it was true, oh so very true... Why did he never notice? Not only did he hurt Mae, but he also made Shunnosuke's help be for naught! And that was also the first time they met, and the boy was ready to help him out, despite being complete strangers... The part with Mae was passable and forgivable, god only knows she still wants him to this day despite that, but this act against Shunnosuke... The sole fact he never thought about it made it unforgivable. Divine punishment would soon drop upon him...

"Y-you're right... that's unforgivable... s-sorry..." He said meekly, the reopened wound had a new gash in it, and it hurt more than he could put into words. It hurt so much he couldn't look at Shunnosuke, and rather cast his gaze upon the floor, frowning as he abolished himself for this newly realized mistake. He deserved to be smitten, and he expected it.

» Rescue Charles [Charles's Event Stand - WIP]
» A Simple Favor
» A Favor to Dad [Nozomi]
» A small favor (Sentinel)
» Returning from the Last