[OPEN]

[recitings]

Characters: Genesis Rhapsodos and YOU
Location: All around the city
Rating: G? Just lots of emo here.
Time: February 28, all day
Description: Losing many people over a short period of time can take a toll on a man's well-being.

Losing people never really came easy to Genesis. Perhaps it did, a long time ago, when he was growing mad with the effects of degradation. But now that he was sane, he could feel how deeply it hurt to lose someone he cared for. What hurt even more so was that it didn't take much time for him to lose each person he grew close to.

The first to leave was one of his closest friends, Dante. Despite his falling out with Vergil, Genesis persisted to stay close with the other red-coated man. Losing him was almost as if losing a brother of his own. Carmine was next: his most fiery partner-- an unforgettable woman who had never left him dissatisfied. Granted, there were periods he realized that she was playing games with him, but he didn't seem to care much, as long as he had authority in some other ways. Then, there was Sakuya-- Carmine's antithesis, a quiet girl with a heart full of quiet poetry. Observing her was almost always like seeing poetry come to life. And finally, there was Clovis: a man he had considered his closest friend in all of Death City. It was his disappearance that cut into Genesis the most, like a fresh wound that couldn't close.

Until now, he was still hurting. And many times, he would simply go out of his way to wander about the city, wondering where the Goddess could take him next.

Comments

[heavenly_earth]

So much for a decision on Genesis' part. Neji spent a few moments considering it and offered a bit of a complicated smile up to the other man.

"I could go for something a little stronger than tea at the moment."

[recitings]

Neji was the one suggesting it after all, Genesis simply preferred to roll with whatever his companion had in mind. At the moment, he wasn't much in the mood to make his own decisions. So far, he had been burned rather badly by his decisions in relationships.

"Hm. I can agree with that." Genesis' lips pulled into a subtle smile. "I'm not sure if the Bitch's Brew is open at the moment, but I'm sure there are pubs around the Red Light District that should be open now."

[heavenly_earth]

Neji nodded and started off for the Red Light district. It wasn't a place he frequented often, but occasionally he found it merited a visit, and it didn't take long to find a place that was open even this early.

Stepping in, he decided to try a regular beer this time, and settled down at a table to wait while Genesis ordered whatever he was having. The dim lighting made it feel later than it was, and Neji let himself forget the real time in favor of relaxing for an hour or two.

[recitings]

While Neji had a beer, Genesis decided to have a glass of whisky. He had always preferred harder drinks, anyway. He leaned back, observing the other man.

"Do you have things on your mind as well, Neji?"

[heavenly_earth]

Neji only knew it was stronger because Aion had given him one the last time he'd made an appearance at a bar. But he still had much of the day left to go despite the illusion of leisure time granted by the dim lighting.

"I suppose you could say that," he hedged, a little disconcerted by the shift in topic. "I went along on the 'field trip' to gauge my resistance after.. everything that happened last month." The thing that happened that made him resort to breaking into Genesis' apartment for just a little peace of mind. "It was.. difficult, but I didn't attack anyone this time, at least."

[recitings]

"Ah, that field trip..." Genesis sighed. "I decided not to join that due to the serial killer still on the loose here. I had to attend to my job as Edgeworth's partner. But I'm glad you seemed to have come out of that field trip alright. If you ever need peace of mind, though. I'd be happy to accommodate you again."

[heavenly_earth]

It was certainly the most stressful 'field trip' a person could imagine, but it was practical for some. Whether or not Genesis and Edgeworth would have benefited from it, he wouldn't know. So he shrugged mildly and took another drink to quell the tiny spark of guilt that surfaced at the reminder.

It wasn't that he felt guilty about the break-in so much as the attitude he went in with- that he'd rather risk Genesis' life than Lain or Hanabi's. But it smoothed out easily enough, and Neji nodded, though he had little intention of taking the man up on his offer barring emergency.

"I appreciate it," he said simply. "I'd offer to assist with information gathering, but I have my Zone to watch over. All I can do is monitor different districts intermittently while keeping a focus in my zone and outside the city. If anything comes up in mine however, I'll be sure to inform you."

[recitings]

"There's no need to push yourself to help, Neji. The agency has its surveillance system installed around the city. I could easily ask Near to give me a heads up on any suspicious activity. It's what I can do as a liaison to the Agency. If there is anyone who should be keeping you all abreast, it should be me."

Genesis took a sip of his drink, savoring the dry taste of the alcohol, and the rich aroma of woods within it.

[heavenly_earth]

Ah, right, surveillance system. He wondered how they managed it, and frequently slipped his mind because he'd never actually seen it.

"True enough," he agreed mildly, and shook his head. "It's just always been my job on the field."

[recitings]

"But that's what makes you an ideal Zone Leader-- the fact that you know your power and use it to supplement your role makes you someone your team can depend on," He smiles.

"You shouldn't push yourself too much, though. That's why there are other Zone Leaders and liaisons to the Watch. You will need to know when to rely on them."

[heavenly_earth]

Neji breathes an amused note, taking another drink. "Hinata-sama said something along those lines, but it's more that the Watch is understaffed at the moment.."

Well, nothing he could do about that, but maybe he could contact other Zone Leads more often, rather than scope out the districts himself.

And then, feeling the need to clarify just in case, "Hanabi-san's sister."

[recitings]

"Ah, so Hanabi's sister has also been taken here... I didn't notice that your family was growing here, Neji," Genesis smiles a bit.

"I know that the Watch is a bit understaffed, but I believe we can still make a difference. I've been with it since its establishment and we've been able to make do with only a few patrol staff."

[heavenly_earth]

It's complicated having them there, but all three of them were managing so far. "I'm somewhat hopeful it doesn't continue," he says simply before turning his mind back to the subject at hand.

"It must have been some time before I was assigned under you."

[recitings]

"It was," Genesis nodded before taking another sip of his drink. He smiles at him a bit. "It actually took a bit of time since I joined before I became a Zone Leader."

[heavenly_earth]

"Understandable." Neji murmured thoughtfully, still faintly surprised to taste alcohol instead of tea when he's not thinking about it. He let silence prevail for a minute or two before bringing up what he'd been hoping to get around to asking.

"..I've been working on expanding Clairvoyance through distance resonance. Once I've begun to manage small distances, I was hoping you might aid in furthering that range with your wing at some point."

[recitings]

"That's interesting..." Genesis finds himself quite fascinated by the idea, and it shows in the way he leans his body towards Neji as he speaks.

"I'd gladly help you once you've gotten the hang of doing so."