[ A shiver runs down Atsumu's spine as he remembers Silco's words after he'd revived him from a shard. A preemptive strike on the Meridian, though Silco had been talking about going after them and their shards, rather than their leadership, to play the role of the villains that the Meridian already thought they were.
Kind of hard to argue that they weren't with plans like this on the table.
More than one person had kept insisting that they were at war, and that people were going to die. Some soldiers already had, even if Atsumu hadn't personally be a part of any of that. Shard-bears had too in a way, but dissipation seemed like an inconvenient time out in comparison, and nothing had been any worse than that.
So far...
The active plan to kill someone with a name is hitting him harder though. He's never met Cyrus himself, and that's been somewhat intentional on Atsumu's part, but he still knows of the guy, and it makes his stomach churn even as he shakes his head at the suggestion he might want to sit.
No, he definitely doesn't. ]
She really doesn't think we can win the rest of 'em on our own?
[ There's still something so naive and child-like in that question, so... pathetic in a way that even Atsumu can hear as soon as it's out of his mouth. He grimaces as soon as it really sinks in that he's still trying to talk about this like they're playing matches of a game rather than resting the fate of existence on these battles. He gets it, he does. It overwhelms him on a regular basis when he's on his own without someone else to distract him from his thoughts, but it also still all feels so unreal at times.
Like one day he'll wake up from a bad dream. It makes it harder to hate the Meridians, because he can empathize with their wants, even if he doesn't think they can ever become reality. It makes him not want to damage his relationships with the ones he is on good terms with either...
But more than that, it makes him want the actual shard-bearers to not be hurt, even if someone else has to be in their place. ]
Amos' expression softens as Atsumu finds his voice again. He feels bad. He really, really never wanted things to come to this — not where the kid was concerned. Wanted to keep him sheltered and happy. As normal as possible, for as much of a losing battle that was increasingly going to be. But to be the one to shatter that...
That's what he feels bad about. Not that he's going to take a life (what else is new for him, he was younger than Atsumu is now the first time he did it), but that he's hurt Atsumu again. He wants to take him in and hold him, be a source of comfort...
But his hands are rough and have taken lives. Are going to take more. Atsumu knows this. Amos should probably keep his hands at his sides, so he does. ]
In a couple of weeks. I'll let you know the exact date when I know... I'm still figuring things out. I just didn't want to catch you unawares.
[ Because — Amos does not really go to Springstar anymore, but he's heard about Zenites being treated like shit over there. It's probably going to get worse after, it dawns on him. Movement between the cities might not be much of a thing anymore.
He inhales. ]
It isn't that we can't win the rest of them on our own — [ although their recent track record is worrying — ] but... Where I come from I had to fight dirty, you know? It was a matter of survival. If you strike before the other guy is expecting it then your chances of winning are way better. That's all this is. It isn't anything personal, or anything to do with a lack of faith — it's giving us an edge. Increasing our odds. That make sense?
[ Please let it make sense; in all likelihood he's going to be the one floundering if it doesn't. ]
[ No, being able to travel to Springstar without a very good disguise will probably be an impossible thing after this. It's something that occurs to Atsumu too, and has his heart thinking at the thought, though it wasn't like he was really able to move around the city without being treated like shit unless he had a Meri at his side.
And even then, they got looks that made Atsumu bristle, judgment for whoever he was with, and disdain for him.
It's not really the worry about his inability to wander into Springstar whenever he wants that has Atsumu rubbing his face as he starts to pace back and forth across his room though. Sure it's not a non-existent part of it, but it's not the main concern. ]
Yeah... yeah I get it. I know that whole move. I've played kinda dirty before.
[ Though not on this scale to this extent. Using some cheap and mean tricks that are still perfectly within the rules during a volleyball match is a far cry from killing a guy. ]
Just not the whole offin' someone part.
[ Atsumu freezes mid-pace as something else registers on him. ]
Hey, whaddya mean you're still figurin' it out if you're gonna do it so soon?
[ Amos stands still as Atsumu begins to pace, a solid rock of self-assuredness. He knows he's doing the right thing — shit, it wouldn't even be the first time he'd killed a guy for the right reasons. Most of the time he's operating off of instinct, but this is solidly right, even if Cyrus does seem like a good guy outside of his affiliation.
So he watches him, eyes following the kid's movements as he does the job of working through things for himself. Whatever he needs to get comfortable with the idea. (He shouldn't have to get comfortable with it, but... war is war.)
He's trying to figure out how to explain to Atsumu that the whole offing someone part is okay, that he doesn't have anything to feel bad about, when he suddenly freezes. Asks a much more pointed question, and Amos clicks his tongue in initial response. ]
I mean... I got a pretty good idea of how it's going to go down. But I should have more intel coming in at some point. [ Thanks, Kiritsubo. ] And this is the kind of thing that the longer we wait, the more likely it is someone blabs. I'd rather strike when the iron is hot and maybe not be totally true than miss the shot entirely. Because we're probably not going to get a second chance.
[ For the first time, gravity slips into Amos' voice. This is not a simple little romp he's looking to do; it is something that has the chance to backfire, and spectacularly so. And he needs to work with that in mind.
He lifts both his hands in a placating gesture. ] You shouldn't get hurt, though. There's no reason for you to. I got plenty of help from Zenith, and besides, I'm the one who got the call. I'm the one who should do it; I'm the one who should be the most at risk. And you don't have to do anything you don't want to, right? I'm still here for you — no matter what.
[ Well, almost no matter what — Zenith and Yima's wills are going to take first priority, but after that. ]
[ A solid three on Amos' list of priorities might not provide a ton of comfort for Atsumu right now, though it wouldn't really surprise him either. He likes the guy a lot, but everyone has their own reason for being part of this group, and it's not just because they happen to find the other Yima followers fun to hang out with.
The problem is that Amos' answer isn't exactly comforting, and Atsumu isn't bothering to disguise the concern on his face as he stares at Amos for any sign that he's not seriously about to risk his life on a slightly higher chance of success.
But of course he is, isn't he? He's talking about taking a life here, and there seems to be a pretty common prevailing mindset around these parts that if you're willing to claim one, you better be willing to risk your own. Hell, people seem to think you should be ready to risk your own regardless, just based on the fact that by pure chance your soul managed to be the one whisked out of the void.
He doesn't like it though. Killing Cyrus settles poorly with him, but letting Amos get killed doing this genuinely has his heart starting to race as an unfamiliar anxiety starts to creep on. ]
You ain't gonna be here for me if you end up dyin' durin' this...
[ At first he frowns, not getting why Atsumu is concerned. What did he say? He told him that he wouldn't have anything to worry about; he wouldn't have to do anything he didn't want to. He could stay here, cozy and safe in his room, while the entire thing goes down... So what's with the worry?
He meets Atsumu's concern with confusion — at least until he opens his mouth again, and then Amos blinks. His mouth forms a little o shape, no sound coming out, just... oh. And he resets himself. ]
Well, goal's still not to die. I ain't planning on it. [ Easier said than done. Amos meets Atsumu's eyes, sees that anxiety, and shuts his own for a second.
He's going to hate himself for asking this, but.
Opens his eyes again. Reaches out to put a hand on Atsumu's shoulder. And, voice soft, ] Did you want to help out?
[ Give the kid as normal a life as possible. Or potentially recruit him into a war zone. Yeah. This is great. ]
[ Not having died in all of this mess automatically recruited him into a war zone, whether he wanted to be there or not. It's not exactly Amos' fault, even though only one of them seems ready to escalate the current conflicts.
Then again, only one of them still holds even slivers of doubts with curiosity to whether or not Meridian might be able to actually bring the worlds back like they say they're going to. He doesn't think they can. He feels like he can be pretty logically certain, but...
The sliver of doubt and hope still sometimes exists, and it's what makes it hard for him to push himself to the same extremes that a guy like Amos can reach.
His eyes go wide at the question, but he tries to joke it off. ]
Gonna be real with you, I don't know if I really have it in me to off a guy.
[ Yeah, there's no doubt on Amos' end. There never has been. He didn't need to fully embrace Zenith to reach that point — it was simply always in him, long before he arrived in Kenos or knew of magic or even grew up. The dead stay dead.
And it's because of this that he can't properly see where Atsumu is coming from; why anyone would have that doubt. Meridian as a philosophy already makes no sense, but for a Zenite to harbour doubts? Seems impossible.
Amos' own eyes widen in turn, though, because that was not at all what he was asking Atsumu. ]
No— Shit. Fuck, no. [ The shock that that's what Atsumu thought he might be asking... It might be the most animated he's ever been around the kid. Amos shakes his head, no. ] I would never— I don't want that for you. Ever. I mean more like...
[ Amos withdraws his hand. Waves it a little vaguely. ]
Help cause a distraction, you know? I mean, I only want Cyrus. Nobody else. But he's going to be tough to get to, so I need the rest of the city focused on other shit. So if you can draw people away from their capital. Keep their guards busy. That kind of thing. And when it's over, you can just leave. That's all — nothing more than that, I swear.
[ There's a reason that Amos has risen in the tiers that he has, while Atsumu struggled so long just to make it to the second tier at all. He's not naturally disposed to this way of thinking like Amos is, even if he whole heartedly embraced the idea that memories were a thing of the past and not needed, it was always applied to a sports team slogan, not the reality one faces when you lose a world.
One thing hasn't budged, and that's his belief that results are everything. Only one side has showed what he considers to be results, and for that reason alone it's enough for him to have decided to stay firm and steady with Zenith.
Though damn is this really putting loyalty to the test. A little less than he thought, but still...
What Amos was asking was pretty risky for him too, especially if Amos managed to pull off what he wanted to do, but Atsumu still got caught.
Then again, he could more or less (kind of) fly now, so making a get away should be possible, and while it was risky for him, the guy actually doing the killing was still facing odds that were are more dicey.
So after a moment of considering it, Atsumu lets reaches up and ruffles his own hair frantically with a dramatic sounding huff. ]
Fine! But you better manage to actually do what you're plannin' if I'm gonna be tossin' myself at a whole city full of soldiers like that.
[ In Atsumu's defence, sports are a matter of life and death.
Amos is surprised by the almost-aggressive motion — against himself? Frustration, or something else... he lets his hand fall loosely back to his side, watching the kid.
Blinks at that demand. ]
Yeah. Yeah, don't worry. I'll kill him. [ A reasonable reassurance from Amos' end — both because committing murder means nothing to him, and because if Atsumu is going to be in Springstar then he has even more incentive to get this right. And he already had a hell of a lot of incentive.
A beat before he adds on, ] And if you get in trouble you can call for me too, alright? I'll come for you as soon as I can if you need it. Or send someone else if I can't. I don't want you hurt, so anything I can do for you there — I will.
[ Ari, the only person who fully understands Atsumu here.
It's a reasonable reassurance on Amos' part after the fuss that Atsumu just made. His biggest worry isn't for himself (for once), though he is still genuinely not enthusiastic about putting himself in harms way this way. The whole plan feels half-baked at best, and risky as hell, but it seems like it's going to be carried out whether or not he joins in.
So if he suffers the consequences for whatever the Zenites do, and he'd rather not see his fellow members end up dead or at the least dissipated for their actions, then he only has one choice here.
At least, there's only one choice that he keeps circling back to. ]
Just worry about takin' the guy out, alright? I've got some tricks up my sleeve that oughta keep me outta the worst of it if things get hairy.
[ It seems they've reached the point of acceptance, so Amos goes for a small smile. ]
I'll get him. Don't worry. [ He has additional help to ensure it goes off without a hitch — Silco's dedication in orchestrating the main attacks, Kiritsubo's spying for him — but neither seems entirely comfortable with being open about it like Amos is, so they can just keep staying on the downlow. No skin off his nose. He doesn't mind. ] But you got that thing where you can run in the air, right? That's pretty useful.
[ The respect in his voice is genuine — both because Amos cannot do anything like that, and because he wants to pump Atsumu's tires. Not even just for this, but in general — although having him feeling good about himself and ready for the day to come certainly does not hurt. ]
[ The fact that Amos will is Atsumu's bigger worry, but this was decided and planned out without consulting him. It's not like others want his vote on if they should attempt a political assassination or not. It's that worry and the severity of the conversation at hand that keeps Atsumu from preening the way he usually would on compliments to his skills. Instead the frown is fixed in place, his face etched in concern still. ]
Yeah. It's got some limits on it, but it'll come through if I need it.
[ Assuming they don't shoot him through with arrows before he can get away, but he's got some other potential ways of dealing with that.
[ And of course, Amos doesn't notice that there's anything particularly wrong. For such a tricky subject matter to introduce to Fox, he figures this actually went pretty well. ]
That's good. [ And he's proud of him!! ] I'll let you know when I know more, but if you ever want to practice? I'll help you out.
[ Just some light and friendly sparring and/or target practice, he figures. So Atsumu'll have a chance to figure out some workarounds to those limitations. It'll be useful — and could maybe even be a little fun.
[ All things considered, it could have probably gone worse. This whole thing is leaving Atsumu feeling Atsumu with a lot more dread than he's used to experiencing, but it's the sort of dread that accompanies a grim determination as well.
If this is happening with or without him, he might as well be part of it and do his best to protect his friends. His mood is a lot more somber than Amos' though. ]
You're gonna be kinda busy for a bit though, right?
[ Being able to practice more before would be good, but he has a sinking feeling that'll be a solo practice for now. ]
[ The sombre mood does finally click with him, at least. The high of acceptance has passed, and now Amos is left with a kid who still seems kind of uncertain about the whole thing. Which, it makes sense, he figures; there's a reason Amos was the one who got this job, as opposed to any of his compatriots.
... Still. ]
Yeah. I'm gonna be busy, but I mean... let me know if you need help, alright? Some downtime'd be good for me too. So if we both got a free moment I can help you then, if you want.
[ It's big, but the way Amos sees it, Atsumu is still his friend. Someone he wants to look out for. And his Exalt ass is gonna have a tough time outright ignoring that, so this feels like maybe a good compromise.
Even though he's gotta admit that, yeah, he isn't going to be as available as he'd like to be. ]
Don't get me wrong, I figure you'll be okay. You already beat me in a fight once, right? [ Going for a bit of humour to lighten the mood a little... ] This is just in case the timing works out for us is all.
[ Beating Amos in that fight seemed like something of an exaggeration to Atsumu. If he hadn't been able to rip those shards of mirror out of Amos' hand he isn't sure how that fight would have actually ended. Sure, he was holding his own up to that point pretty well, but that didn't actually mean he would have come out on top.
Still, the attempt to talk him up did have him shifting slightly his frown turning less severe and more an attempt to hold back looking pleased. So few people are actually willing to compliment Atsumu here, despite the blood, sweat and tears he has been pouring into things. He's started at a heavy disadvantage compared to the majority of the other shard-bearers, and no matter how hard he works to bridge the gap he can never quite seem to get there.
After all, for every new power he gains, those around him have a chance at another too...
It does make things like Amos offer to help him hone what he does have all the more meaningful, even if he really does doubt Amos is going to have the free time to allow for it. ]
Yeah, I got it. It ain't just gonna be me either, is it?
[ He already figured as much. He cannot imagine Amos would ask him to solo distract an entire city of guards while he kills a man. ]
[ Amos' eyes widen slightly at the question, because he wouldn't have thought it'd need to be asked at all, but... ]
No. Definitely not. I was just gonna go ask Gavial after, actually... And I'll probably be around the manor a bit more now. There're people here who're gonna help, so...
[ He trails off a little awkwardly, not quite used to the idea of the resources and manpower he has at his fingertips. That's... not normal. This is where he's in his element: asking a friend for help, not... being a commander and expecting others to follow.
It's weird.
His eyes crinkle slightly as he looks back at Atsumu. ]
Just wanted you to know in advance. And give you the chance to help out, if you wanted. It's the least I can do for you.
[ And the kid's important to him, so — yeah. Had to come over and make the offer, face to face. ]
[ In a weird way, Atsumu does appreciate it. Though it's not like he ever really wanted to get dragged into an assassination plot, if one was going to happen he'd be a lot saltier if he was taken unaware by the whole thing. Amos really is doing him a favor by letting him know, and not necessarily expecting him to help out.
Atsumu will. He wants to keep his friend safe too, but it's nice to have the option if nothing else.
So he nods, fully in agreement with the assessment that it was the least Amos could do for him. People have a funny way of demanding Atsumu expect the full consequences any adult would have to suffer for the simple choice of "picking the wrong side", and then proceed to talk to him like he's a child. While he's rattled by this whole sudden escalation that will be happening, he does genuinely appreciate Amos' decision to not treat him that way though, even if he doesn't know how to properly express it right now.
So he makes an attempt to look less put out by this whole thing. There was some visible relaxing on his part at the mention of Gavial anyway, having already had her save him once. ]
If she's gonna be helpin' out, then I'm definitely gonna be just fine then. Couldn't ask for more of a powerhouse than her. So you just focus on what you gotta do for it, man, and let us take care of the rest.
[ Ironically Atsumu will end up not liking how people opt to take care of the rest. ]
[ Okay, now it seems like they've reached a good place. Atsumu visibly relaxes, and Amos perks up a little again. ]
I will. [ He hasn't... actually secured Gavial's help yet, but he figures it's not gonna be an issue. They're bros, so. Just seems like a natural conclusion that she will.
He pats Atsumu's shoulder once more, like the whole thing is finalized now. Putting a punctuation mark at the end of this. ... Probably just a simple little period. ]
Thanks, Fox. 'ppreciate it.
[ Because as far as he's concerned, even though Atsumu is a kid — someone to be protected — he's also on the same level as him. When Amos had been his age he'd already been a couple of years into an apprenticeship in space, and you don't have time to fuck around talking down to someone just because they're younger than you. If they're capable, they're capable — and Atsumu may have stumbled some, but not in any disastrous ways. So.
[ It's a strange place to find himself in, because on the one had it's hard to meet a teenager that wants to be talked down to by the adults in their lives.
At the same time in some ways Atsumu wishes he didn't have to be held to the same standards as everyone else. He'll be wishing that harder in the days to come too, when this plan does finally come to fruition, and he's forced to face consequences he could never have imagined.
For now though he does his best to keep a stiff upper lip, and gives Amos a curt nod in lieu of a proper "you're welcome".
They'll do this... he doesn't want to, but he'll help with this. Sure when Amos leaves he'll sit down on his bed and stare at a wall while dissociating for a good fifteen minutes before pulling himself together, but he'll do what he has to in order to reach Zenith's end goals. ]
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Kind of hard to argue that they weren't with plans like this on the table.
More than one person had kept insisting that they were at war, and that people were going to die. Some soldiers already had, even if Atsumu hadn't personally be a part of any of that. Shard-bears had too in a way, but dissipation seemed like an inconvenient time out in comparison, and nothing had been any worse than that.
So far...
The active plan to kill someone with a name is hitting him harder though. He's never met Cyrus himself, and that's been somewhat intentional on Atsumu's part, but he still knows of the guy, and it makes his stomach churn even as he shakes his head at the suggestion he might want to sit.
No, he definitely doesn't. ]
She really doesn't think we can win the rest of 'em on our own?
[ There's still something so naive and child-like in that question, so... pathetic in a way that even Atsumu can hear as soon as it's out of his mouth. He grimaces as soon as it really sinks in that he's still trying to talk about this like they're playing matches of a game rather than resting the fate of existence on these battles. He gets it, he does. It overwhelms him on a regular basis when he's on his own without someone else to distract him from his thoughts, but it also still all feels so unreal at times.
Like one day he'll wake up from a bad dream. It makes it harder to hate the Meridians, because he can empathize with their wants, even if he doesn't think they can ever become reality. It makes him not want to damage his relationships with the ones he is on good terms with either...
But more than that, it makes him want the actual shard-bearers to not be hurt, even if someone else has to be in their place. ]
When're you gonna... you know...
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Amos' expression softens as Atsumu finds his voice again. He feels bad. He really, really never wanted things to come to this — not where the kid was concerned. Wanted to keep him sheltered and happy. As normal as possible, for as much of a losing battle that was increasingly going to be. But to be the one to shatter that...
That's what he feels bad about. Not that he's going to take a life (what else is new for him, he was younger than Atsumu is now the first time he did it), but that he's hurt Atsumu again. He wants to take him in and hold him, be a source of comfort...
But his hands are rough and have taken lives. Are going to take more. Atsumu knows this. Amos should probably keep his hands at his sides, so he does. ]
In a couple of weeks. I'll let you know the exact date when I know... I'm still figuring things out. I just didn't want to catch you unawares.
[ Because — Amos does not really go to Springstar anymore, but he's heard about Zenites being treated like shit over there. It's probably going to get worse after, it dawns on him. Movement between the cities might not be much of a thing anymore.
He inhales. ]
It isn't that we can't win the rest of them on our own — [ although their recent track record is worrying — ] but... Where I come from I had to fight dirty, you know? It was a matter of survival. If you strike before the other guy is expecting it then your chances of winning are way better. That's all this is. It isn't anything personal, or anything to do with a lack of faith — it's giving us an edge. Increasing our odds. That make sense?
[ Please let it make sense; in all likelihood he's going to be the one floundering if it doesn't. ]
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And even then, they got looks that made Atsumu bristle, judgment for whoever he was with, and disdain for him.
It's not really the worry about his inability to wander into Springstar whenever he wants that has Atsumu rubbing his face as he starts to pace back and forth across his room though. Sure it's not a non-existent part of it, but it's not the main concern. ]
Yeah... yeah I get it. I know that whole move. I've played kinda dirty before.
[ Though not on this scale to this extent. Using some cheap and mean tricks that are still perfectly within the rules during a volleyball match is a far cry from killing a guy. ]
Just not the whole offin' someone part.
[ Atsumu freezes mid-pace as something else registers on him. ]
Hey, whaddya mean you're still figurin' it out if you're gonna do it so soon?
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So he watches him, eyes following the kid's movements as he does the job of working through things for himself. Whatever he needs to get comfortable with the idea. (He shouldn't have to get comfortable with it, but... war is war.)
He's trying to figure out how to explain to Atsumu that the whole offing someone part is okay, that he doesn't have anything to feel bad about, when he suddenly freezes. Asks a much more pointed question, and Amos clicks his tongue in initial response. ]
I mean... I got a pretty good idea of how it's going to go down. But I should have more intel coming in at some point. [ Thanks, Kiritsubo. ] And this is the kind of thing that the longer we wait, the more likely it is someone blabs. I'd rather strike when the iron is hot and maybe not be totally true than miss the shot entirely. Because we're probably not going to get a second chance.
[ For the first time, gravity slips into Amos' voice. This is not a simple little romp he's looking to do; it is something that has the chance to backfire, and spectacularly so. And he needs to work with that in mind.
He lifts both his hands in a placating gesture. ] You shouldn't get hurt, though. There's no reason for you to. I got plenty of help from Zenith, and besides, I'm the one who got the call. I'm the one who should do it; I'm the one who should be the most at risk. And you don't have to do anything you don't want to, right? I'm still here for you — no matter what.
[ Well, almost no matter what — Zenith and Yima's wills are going to take first priority, but after that. ]
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The problem is that Amos' answer isn't exactly comforting, and Atsumu isn't bothering to disguise the concern on his face as he stares at Amos for any sign that he's not seriously about to risk his life on a slightly higher chance of success.
But of course he is, isn't he? He's talking about taking a life here, and there seems to be a pretty common prevailing mindset around these parts that if you're willing to claim one, you better be willing to risk your own. Hell, people seem to think you should be ready to risk your own regardless, just based on the fact that by pure chance your soul managed to be the one whisked out of the void.
He doesn't like it though. Killing Cyrus settles poorly with him, but letting Amos get killed doing this genuinely has his heart starting to race as an unfamiliar anxiety starts to creep on. ]
You ain't gonna be here for me if you end up dyin' durin' this...
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He meets Atsumu's concern with confusion — at least until he opens his mouth again, and then Amos blinks. His mouth forms a little o shape, no sound coming out, just... oh. And he resets himself. ]
Well, goal's still not to die. I ain't planning on it. [ Easier said than done. Amos meets Atsumu's eyes, sees that anxiety, and shuts his own for a second.
He's going to hate himself for asking this, but.
Opens his eyes again. Reaches out to put a hand on Atsumu's shoulder. And, voice soft, ] Did you want to help out?
[ Give the kid as normal a life as possible. Or potentially recruit him into a war zone. Yeah. This is great. ]
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Then again, only one of them still holds even slivers of doubts with curiosity to whether or not Meridian might be able to actually bring the worlds back like they say they're going to. He doesn't think they can. He feels like he can be pretty logically certain, but...
The sliver of doubt and hope still sometimes exists, and it's what makes it hard for him to push himself to the same extremes that a guy like Amos can reach.
His eyes go wide at the question, but he tries to joke it off. ]
Gonna be real with you, I don't know if I really have it in me to off a guy.
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And it's because of this that he can't properly see where Atsumu is coming from; why anyone would have that doubt. Meridian as a philosophy already makes no sense, but for a Zenite to harbour doubts? Seems impossible.
Amos' own eyes widen in turn, though, because that was not at all what he was asking Atsumu. ]
No— Shit. Fuck, no. [ The shock that that's what Atsumu thought he might be asking... It might be the most animated he's ever been around the kid. Amos shakes his head, no. ] I would never— I don't want that for you. Ever. I mean more like...
[ Amos withdraws his hand. Waves it a little vaguely. ]
Help cause a distraction, you know? I mean, I only want Cyrus. Nobody else. But he's going to be tough to get to, so I need the rest of the city focused on other shit. So if you can draw people away from their capital. Keep their guards busy. That kind of thing. And when it's over, you can just leave. That's all — nothing more than that, I swear.
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One thing hasn't budged, and that's his belief that results are everything. Only one side has showed what he considers to be results, and for that reason alone it's enough for him to have decided to stay firm and steady with Zenith.
Though damn is this really putting loyalty to the test. A little less than he thought, but still...
What Amos was asking was pretty risky for him too, especially if Amos managed to pull off what he wanted to do, but Atsumu still got caught.
Then again, he could more or less (kind of) fly now, so making a get away should be possible, and while it was risky for him, the guy actually doing the killing was still facing odds that were are more dicey.
So after a moment of considering it, Atsumu lets reaches up and ruffles his own hair frantically with a dramatic sounding huff. ]
Fine! But you better manage to actually do what you're plannin' if I'm gonna be tossin' myself at a whole city full of soldiers like that.
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In Atsumu's defence, sports are a matter of life and death.Amos is surprised by the almost-aggressive motion — against himself? Frustration, or something else... he lets his hand fall loosely back to his side, watching the kid.
Blinks at that demand. ]
Yeah. Yeah, don't worry. I'll kill him. [ A reasonable reassurance from Amos' end — both because committing murder means nothing to him, and because if Atsumu is going to be in Springstar then he has even more incentive to get this right. And he already had a hell of a lot of incentive.
A beat before he adds on, ] And if you get in trouble you can call for me too, alright? I'll come for you as soon as I can if you need it. Or send someone else if I can't. I don't want you hurt, so anything I can do for you there — I will.
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Ari, the only person who fully understands Atsumu here.It's a reasonable reassurance on Amos' part after the fuss that Atsumu just made. His biggest worry isn't for himself (for once), though he is still genuinely not enthusiastic about putting himself in harms way this way. The whole plan feels half-baked at best, and risky as hell, but it seems like it's going to be carried out whether or not he joins in.
So if he suffers the consequences for whatever the Zenites do, and he'd rather not see his fellow members end up dead or at the least dissipated for their actions, then he only has one choice here.
At least, there's only one choice that he keeps circling back to. ]
Just worry about takin' the guy out, alright? I've got some tricks up my sleeve that oughta keep me outta the worst of it if things get hairy.
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I'll get him. Don't worry. [ He has additional help to ensure it goes off without a hitch — Silco's dedication in orchestrating the main attacks, Kiritsubo's spying for him — but neither seems entirely comfortable with being open about it like Amos is, so they can just keep staying on the downlow. No skin off his nose. He doesn't mind. ] But you got that thing where you can run in the air, right? That's pretty useful.
[ The respect in his voice is genuine — both because Amos cannot do anything like that, and because he wants to pump Atsumu's tires. Not even just for this, but in general — although having him feeling good about himself and ready for the day to come certainly does not hurt. ]
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Yeah. It's got some limits on it, but it'll come through if I need it.
[ Assuming they don't shoot him through with arrows before he can get away, but he's got some other potential ways of dealing with that.
... Hopefully. ]
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That's good. [ And he's proud of him!! ] I'll let you know when I know more, but if you ever want to practice? I'll help you out.
[ Just some light and friendly sparring and/or target practice, he figures. So Atsumu'll have a chance to figure out some workarounds to those limitations. It'll be useful — and could maybe even be a little fun.
There are no downsides here. This went well. ]
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If this is happening with or without him, he might as well be part of it and do his best to protect his friends. His mood is a lot more somber than Amos' though. ]
You're gonna be kinda busy for a bit though, right?
[ Being able to practice more before would be good, but he has a sinking feeling that'll be a solo practice for now. ]
I'll manage it for now.
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... Still. ]
Yeah. I'm gonna be busy, but I mean... let me know if you need help, alright? Some downtime'd be good for me too. So if we both got a free moment I can help you then, if you want.
[ It's big, but the way Amos sees it, Atsumu is still his friend. Someone he wants to look out for. And his Exalt ass is gonna have a tough time outright ignoring that, so this feels like maybe a good compromise.
Even though he's gotta admit that, yeah, he isn't going to be as available as he'd like to be. ]
Don't get me wrong, I figure you'll be okay. You already beat me in a fight once, right? [ Going for a bit of humour to lighten the mood a little... ] This is just in case the timing works out for us is all.
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Still, the attempt to talk him up did have him shifting slightly his frown turning less severe and more an attempt to hold back looking pleased. So few people are actually willing to compliment Atsumu here, despite the blood, sweat and tears he has been pouring into things. He's started at a heavy disadvantage compared to the majority of the other shard-bearers, and no matter how hard he works to bridge the gap he can never quite seem to get there.
After all, for every new power he gains, those around him have a chance at another too...
It does make things like Amos offer to help him hone what he does have all the more meaningful, even if he really does doubt Amos is going to have the free time to allow for it. ]
Yeah, I got it. It ain't just gonna be me either, is it?
[ He already figured as much. He cannot imagine Amos would ask him to solo distract an entire city of guards while he kills a man. ]
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No. Definitely not. I was just gonna go ask Gavial after, actually... And I'll probably be around the manor a bit more now. There're people here who're gonna help, so...
[ He trails off a little awkwardly, not quite used to the idea of the resources and manpower he has at his fingertips. That's... not normal. This is where he's in his element: asking a friend for help, not... being a commander and expecting others to follow.
It's weird.
His eyes crinkle slightly as he looks back at Atsumu. ]
Just wanted you to know in advance. And give you the chance to help out, if you wanted. It's the least I can do for you.
[ And the kid's important to him, so — yeah. Had to come over and make the offer, face to face. ]
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Atsumu will. He wants to keep his friend safe too, but it's nice to have the option if nothing else.
So he nods, fully in agreement with the assessment that it was the least Amos could do for him. People have a funny way of demanding Atsumu expect the full consequences any adult would have to suffer for the simple choice of "picking the wrong side", and then proceed to talk to him like he's a child. While he's rattled by this whole sudden escalation that will be happening, he does genuinely appreciate Amos' decision to not treat him that way though, even if he doesn't know how to properly express it right now.
So he makes an attempt to look less put out by this whole thing. There was some visible relaxing on his part at the mention of Gavial anyway, having already had her save him once. ]
If she's gonna be helpin' out, then I'm definitely gonna be just fine then. Couldn't ask for more of a powerhouse than her. So you just focus on what you gotta do for it, man, and let us take care of the rest.
[ Ironically Atsumu will end up not liking how people opt to take care of the rest. ]
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I will. [ He hasn't... actually secured Gavial's help yet, but he figures it's not gonna be an issue. They're bros, so. Just seems like a natural conclusion that she will.
He pats Atsumu's shoulder once more, like the whole thing is finalized now. Putting a punctuation mark at the end of this. ... Probably just a simple little period. ]
Thanks, Fox. 'ppreciate it.
[ Because as far as he's concerned, even though Atsumu is a kid — someone to be protected — he's also on the same level as him. When Amos had been his age he'd already been a couple of years into an apprenticeship in space, and you don't have time to fuck around talking down to someone just because they're younger than you. If they're capable, they're capable — and Atsumu may have stumbled some, but not in any disastrous ways. So.
He's capable. ]
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At the same time in some ways Atsumu wishes he didn't have to be held to the same standards as everyone else. He'll be wishing that harder in the days to come too, when this plan does finally come to fruition, and he's forced to face consequences he could never have imagined.
For now though he does his best to keep a stiff upper lip, and gives Amos a curt nod in lieu of a proper "you're welcome".
They'll do this... he doesn't want to, but he'll help with this. Sure when Amos leaves he'll sit down on his bed and stare at a wall while dissociating for a good fifteen minutes before pulling himself together, but he'll do what he has to in order to reach Zenith's end goals. ]