Private Reunited

Zora · Oct 22, 2019

It had been a rather unusual request that she had received from her friend, Natasha, but knowing that Celeste was busy at school and with her family, Zoraida decided to take it upon herself to accompany Tadashi to the designated meeting place. It also gave her the opportunity to spend a bit of time with him since it had been quite a while since the two had last done any swimming together. An activity which she actually found quite enjoyable and wished she had more time to partake in.

"Are you going to be okay?" Zora asked Tadashi, realising once again that he was, oddly enough, her uncle as they made their way to the park.

"They should be here soon," Natasha said as she glanced at her watch and then smiled reassuringly at Ezra, trying to ease any nervousness or uncertainty he might be feeling.

The two of them had arrived a few minutes early and were sitting - or at least Natasha was - on a bench in the park, chatting while they were waiting for Tadashi and Zoraida to arrive.

@PixelatedGlory @ArcanaFate

ArcanaFate · Oct 22, 2019

"I am not worried about Tadashi's arrival. You have arranged so much for this to happen and I cannot thank you enough for it. This is going to go well and everything will be fine. I have read that it is normal for people to engage in arguments and solving them can help strengthen the bond."

Despite Ezra's confident words, a look of possible worry was beginning to form. Their brow had furrowed and they continued to gaze around as if waiting for Tadashi to appear from nowhere. The odd tingling sensation had begun to affect their abdomen again and they had read that some call the feeling 'butterflies in your stomach'. Which they found to be frankly ridiculous. If butterflies were actually in one's stomach, they would be dissolved! However, the sensation was commonly associated with nervousness which Ezra could not understand why they would feel like that either. It was just a meeting with Tadashi, why feel nervous? Tadashi, their first friend on the island. Tadashi, someone whose heart they had broke by their leaving. Tadashi, someone whose opinion and closeness they valued highly.

This was going to be harder than previously thought.

PixelatedGlory · Oct 22, 2019

Tadashi wasn't in Human form. He never was when he was really emotional anymore. Even though he was pretty sure most people would tell him it was better to do this as a human. And he told himself he might change back when it was time, but for now he was keeping to the comfortable cat form as he followed along with Zora.

He probably would have gladly taken the floundering in the water in place of this little meeting. Tadashi didn't know what he was going to say. Or do, for that matter. "I... don't know. I'm a little scared, and mad, and sad. But mostly I just feel... empty." He wasn't paying attention to how close they were to their meeting point. Mostly he was trying to focus on the plants around him to keep himself grounded.

Zora · Oct 23, 2019

"Zoraida," Natasha exclaimed, her Russian accent very apparent, as she called out to her friend as she drew nearer, not realising at first that the pretty little cat walking beside her was Ezra's friend, Tadashi.

"Natushka," Zora called back in greeting when she heard Natasha's voice, spying a young man standing beside her, and breaking out in a grin when she realised suddenly who it might be. She had never seen Ezra in his human form before and was surprised to see him.

(Short post... fyi - I will post once more after this and then have the two go have coffee somewhere so Tadashi and Ezra can talk.)

ArcanaFate · Oct 23, 2019

Ezra tensed as Natasha called out to her friend and immediately recognized the woman approaching as Zoraida del Bosque. It was a bit jarring to see the woman in the flesh, but the Sho'lai barely had registered the woman was even there. The more pertinent issue was the feline that was accompanying her: Tadashi himself. With a deep inhale, they quietly moved from their seat on the bench and towards the cat. There were so many things they could say: the apologies, the truth, questions regarding what had happened, but Ezra had no idea how to start.

They would eventually stop in front of the feline and squat down, staring with an unwavering gaze and say nothing. Ezra would slowly reach out their hand to Tadashi, palm up, and quietly whisper to the bakeneko.

"Hello, Tadashi. It is a pleasure to see you again after so long."

PixelatedGlory · Oct 23, 2019

Tadashi stopped in his tracks as they came across Ezra and Natasha. Ezra looked fairly different, but not quite enough to be entirely unrecognizable. Especially considering the way they moved in and acted like it was ok to just approach and stick out a hand.

Tadashi felt the instinct to hiss and take a swipe at the unexpected intrusion of the hand but he swallowed that urge. He did take a couple small cat-steps back though. Then he crouched down, scrunching his body together some. His tail flicking in agitation.

"Why Ezra?" Tadashi finally asked. "Do I... am I just something to throw away until you get bored with other things?" His voice shook with despair and his ears drooped.

Zora · Oct 23, 2019

"Tadashi?!" Zora spoke in a quiet, but concerned tone when she saw how he was reacting to Ezra's greeting.

"It's fine. They will be fine," Natasha said as she laid a reassuring hand on Zoraida's arm. She had complete faith in Ezra, besides the fact that she could sense both boys' emotions, and hate was not present among them...which lead the vampire to trust that everything would probably be okay if they could talk it out.

"But..." Zoraida said as she glanced uneasily at both boys, feeling oddly protective of them both at the moment.

"Come. Let's get some coffee," Natasha said as she looped her arm through Zoraida's and gently pulled her friend away so Ezra and Tadashi could work things out.

ArcanaFate · Oct 23, 2019

Ezra flinched at the question. They were surprised at Tadashi's assumption and Zora's exclamation. Did the bakeneko really think that Ezra was... uninterested? The Sho'lai's brow furrowed heavily as the two women quickly walked off and could only look at Tadashi in disbelief.

"Tadashi... Do you think I would treat you so horribly?" Ezra finally asked, crossing their arms and resting them on their knees while still squatted. "You are my first friend and I would argue my closest of friends. I know that we have not socialized as much as we could have and then I was taken off-island for quite a few months, but I would never want to just... end our friendship. I valued our time together and I wish to partake in more of it but I was told by multiple people in very... brash fashion that I hurt you. Badly."

Ezra glanced away, staring off into the nearby trees. "I offer my apologies, but I do not believe they would ever be enough to forgive the pain I have caused you. If you wish, I can tell you everything that has happened in my seven months on the island. It is not all pleasant but I would never lie to you. If you no longer wish for me to be around you, I understand. If you would have me in your life again, I would be... content with that option."

"...I honestly would prefer that option." They attempted to joke but remained gazing off to the side.

PixelatedGlory · Oct 23, 2019

The attempt at a joke, predictably, fell on deaf ears. Ears that drooped even further. Regardless of how he felt about Ezra Tadashi didn't want them to have suffered. But he couldn't feel sorry for Ezra yet. No, there was far too much in the way of that and the cat could feel his heart beating rapidly.

The cat sat down in an attempt at calming himself but only half succeeded. "Not socialized as much? Ezra, you disappeared and didn't call, didn't write, didn't even think it was reasonable to tell me you weren't dead. Then you come back and act like it was nothing." Tadashi's small furry body shook with emotion.

"If you wouldn't lie to me then don't lie to me. Saying you valued our time together. You didn't think about me, about what I would think, or what I would feel when you disappeared. The only reason you know you hurt me at all is other people told you. And you can't even look me in the eyes while you excuse yourself because unpleasant things happened on your trip. I...," Tadashi faltered at that point and had to pause for a moment. "I-I don't want bad things to have happened to you. I'm not like that. Even though you tore me apart. But you don't get to rationalize this. You made me hate you."

Tadashi spun and swiped a claw at a nearby clump of grass and shuddered at what he had done. Finally he slumped down onto the ground, looking defeated.

ArcanaFate · Oct 23, 2019

Hate.

That was a word that Ezra had known and experienced only once before. Remembering that unbridled emotion in the temple, the red-haired witch unleashing a barrage of magic that had tried to scar them to the core. The feeling of clashing back and forth, of finally striking her down and seemingly ending her life. That moment when she rose from where she lay, no longer dead, uttering dark blasphemies and destroying thousands of years of heritage. That lingering hate hung in the back of their head but they did not like knowing it was there. Hate is what Ezra made Tadashi experience and that feeling is not easily achieved.

They fell on their backside, no longer able to support themselves in their squatted position. Whether it was from the awkward angle or Tadashi's words, they could only sit and stare at the feline. They had never seen someone look so... small. So fragile. Ezra went to reach toward Tadashi but pulled back. It was clear that the bakeneko would not want to be touched.

"...Tadashi. I was off-island. In another dimension. It was not possible for me to reach out. I had not even planned on going." Ezra sighed, adjusting their sitting position and staring at the cat. "I do value our time together; it is important to me. And it is unfair to tell me that I cannot rationalize this conversation; rationalizing is all I know how to do. I barely smile properly, I do not understand most forms of humor or metaphor, and I have spent my time back on the island being belittled and yelled at by your sister and your friends about how terrible I am."

Ezra's speech began to warble and distort, the pitch of their voice fluctuating as they began to speak faster and faster. "We were looking forward to seeing you when we started school again. We were told by Shi-i-i-iro that we had hurt you. We-we-we have spent-t-t every moment after trying to r-reach out. We called. We texted. We scoured the island for cats that may have seen you. Do not be-be-belittle our feelings when we have spent our time trying to fix our m-mist-mistake. We hurt you, y-yessss, and we are sorry. More sorry tha-than you know."

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Private Reunited

Zora

Event Witch

ArcanaFate

aRCANE lORE mASTER

PixelatedGlory

Mmm oderator

Zora

Event Witch

ArcanaFate

aRCANE lORE mASTER

PixelatedGlory

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Zora

Event Witch

ArcanaFate

aRCANE lORE mASTER

PixelatedGlory

Mmm oderator

ArcanaFate

aRCANE lORE mASTER