Study til Sore [Tomomi/Cecil]

"Yeah..." Tomomi replied, head low as he nodded. His breathing was still shallow, and any inspection of him was enough to show that his hands were shaking ever so slightly, Tomomi attempting to hide this by eating his cookie with more speed than the time he'd eaten at Cecil's, seemingly anxiety feeding himself.

As Cecil talked about his promise, Tomomi finished off his cookie, quickly shoving his hands into his pockets. Then, as Cecil finished, Tomomi sighed, shaking his head, before gently nudging Cecil to get his attention. "Hey, you uh... You don't need to do it alone, you know? You've got Nadia, for example, who I'm sure would be happy to help you with it... And, um, if you want, I'd be happy to be here for you as well." At this, Tomomi offered a shaky smile, both weak and strong all at once, as if all of Tomomi's fragility was laid bare, yet also all of his reassurance.

When Tomomi pulls his attention, Cecil smiles wryly as he looks over, a tiny little sigh escaping his lips as Tomomi talks. "Of course you two manage to meet up when I'm not looking..." He shakes his head. "That's not even a question, Tomomi. If I wouldn't want your help, then please hit me over the head or something, because there's probably something lodged in my head that's counterproductive to what we're trying to do in the first place. That, or I've gone crazy. One of the two."
He chuckles dryly, before looking ahead again, eyes occasionally flicking to the side to capture Tomomi in the corner of his vision as he speaks. "But help or no help, it's a big thing to, ah..." He shrugs. "To basically uproot everything you know as an intrinsic truth. If I'm doing this, if you're getting involved, you at least deserve to know what you're dealing with here. Even if you disagree...this is just how it is in my head. It would be so easy just to keep quiet on it and play it down, like I've been doing before, but...you deserve to know. If you don't think you can cope with that, well...I'll understand however you act on that."

Tomomi listened intently as Cecil poured his heart out to him. He could feel his heart sink, to have it reaffirmed how little Cecil thought of himself. But, the fact that he bore it all also affirmed something that lightened the pain Tomomi felt at the reminder. To hear that Tomomi was actually wanted. Cecil was... The first person in five years to want him around for more than just doing an unpleasant job. And to hear that even though he was uncomfortable doing this, he wanted Tomomi to help... It inspired Tomomi, who now looked upon Cecil with more than just friendship, but admiration for how... Well, how brave facing yourself was.

Then, Tomomi smiled once more. "Cecil. I've been failing to cope with many things... But uh... This is I think the one thing that I will cope with. I... I want to be here for you, and help, and I know it'll be a big thing... It's how it goes I guess? I... Also know that it's rather unfair of me to want you to make this change, and really selfish. So... I'm not giving up on you Cecil, whether you like it or no- No... I know you enough to trust you when you say you... Want me around. I personally still find it amazing, but... I'll trust you on that. So, I want you to trust me when I say, I'm going to help! Because you're my best friend, without any smudge of a doubt." He declared, seeming to perk up as he spoke of how much he cared about Cecil... Even if he did make a mistake in expression once more.

Slowly, a wide grin spreads across Cecil's face - both as Tomomi finally took it to heart that he was wanted...and as he affirmed him as his best friend.
He would have said so for Tomomi himself...and in fact, had. But the sheer fact Tomomi returned the sentiment made his eyes water a little, the statement uprooting the little seed of doubt and fear that he was alone in that feeling. That the house of cards would be blown down by a stray gust, leaving nothing but a messy pile of paper-thin hopes that scattered itself on the winds.
"...believe me, I know what you mean. It's the same for me - though...I think I've made that apparent more than you have." He laughs, openly joyful and incredulous in equal measure. "I've never had a friend like you, Tomomi. I might never again. But..." He wipes away at the trickle from under his eye, smiling happily as the tears start to overflow in a burst of unfamiliar catharsis. "I never said it to you before, but I can't stand to now. You're the best friend I have, Tomomi. I owe you a lot...and I suspect I'm going to owe you even more. More than I could hope to ever repay."

As Cecil reciprocated the expression of friendship, Tomomi couldn't help but join Cecil in smiling and laughing, straining to prevent the tears from welling in his eyes once more. A vain effort that failed, but was attempted nonetheless. Still, at the suggestion that Cecil owed Tomomi, the boy shook his head slowly and emphatically. "Not at all Cecil. If anything, I owe you. You're... Well, I mean, you saved me. And I don't just mean that night when you helped me after the work issues... Thanks to you, I know what it means to have a friend. Like, a proper friend who is, well... Just important to me, and helps me, and just..."

Sighing, Tomomi wiped his eyes with the sleeve of the jacket he often had over his shoulder, shaking his head. "I owe you everything, and then some... That's why I want you to believe in yourself. And I don't care if it takes years. I'm going to hear you be happy with yourself friend. Because you... You deserve to."

Cecil really had saved Tomomi, although how, Tomomi couldn't quite say. Not because he couldn't word it but... How would he explain that if he didn't have the thought of Cecil in his mind, then he might have given up and let himself be eaten by a demon monster in an alleyway before awakening to a ghostly detective that barely spoke to him? Yeah, that would... Stay Tomomi's secret. "Um... So... Uh... Which direction are we even walking?"

Cecil groans, wiping away at the streams that had started running down his cheeks and wondering just how much longer this was going to go on. It almost felt like he could make a small puddle at this rate. "You know what? If you say so. You know I don't agree right now, but I'm not going to argue with you." He gestures out with one hand, palm turned up as it hovers by his shoulder. "Still - you know what? Let's just say we owe each other. Since right now, it sounds like we both have different things we owe each other for." He starts to laugh again, speaking out in a sing-song voice. "I still owe mooooore thouuuuugh~!"
This was nothing to compete over, but it almost felt like it made it easier to think about if you made a mock competition of it.

As Tomomi asks where they're going, Cecil walks out in front and turns to Tomomi, swinging out his arms to his sides as a big, stupid grin splits his face. It was so strange, feeling like this, but as he walked backwards with his arms out wide, he resolved to ride the high for as long as it would last. "NO idea! I said we were going wherever our feet took us, didn't I? Your guess is as good as mine!"

Giggles erupted from Tomomi as Cecil emphasised in a sing songy voice. That was the first time he'd heard Cecil like that, see him smile so much. It was nice, a pleasant feeling to replace the pain from just moments prior. Then, even more so, as Cecil stepped out in front and walked backwards for a moment with a grandiose gesture, reminding Tomomi that he declared they'd just go wherever. Tomomi continued laughing and smiling at the exaggeration, nodding along.

Then, Tomomi also played along, feeling the contagion of the high as he gave a shrug so over the top that it nearly caused his jacket to fall from his shoulder, causing the boy to stop and catch it before it hit the floor. "You have a point! Right now, we've uh... We've got all of Endymion to explore! We can walk, laugh, and be ourselves! It's adventure time!"

At that, Tomomi cheered, before tapping at his pockets in an over dramatic manner. "Well uh... So long as we don't stray so far away that we need to take a bus or train back. I... Kind of spent my money on those cookies and lemonade... But aside from that, we're without limits!" The boy paused, shaking his head to himself, before adding quickly. "And for the record... I owe you moooooooooooooore!"

Cecil emphatically waves it off as he moves back into step with Tomomi. "Nah, it's fine. I'll cover costs. Pretty sure bus fare isn't as much as, well..." He pauses. "Ok, a lot of stuff happened, not quite sure how to sum it up, but it's worth way more than a little fare." He shrugs. "Not important, though! We DO have all of Endymion to explore!"

He laughs again, and looks over to Tomomi. "Oh, and to put the record straight..." He points to himself. "I owe more."

[Exit as they platonically walk into the sunset or something]