[ Tenn is not okay. He did what he could to help, but in the end, it doesn't feel like enough. No amount of investigation will bring Riku back; it all feels pointless...but he knows that he'll have to do what it takes to bring his late brother justice.
For now, though, before they're summoned to their next trial, Tenn can be found sitting at the fountain, head in his hands. ]
[ he is on the way back from whatever investigation he was doing at the echo houses, since there were too many people crowded around riku's body and truth be told, part of why he had avoided looking at riku's body is also--
what if it had been louis?
william can't imagine how tenn must be feeling now, but
he is also an older brother, so he has some kind of idea-- ]
Tenn?
[ so far, in all their interactions, william has always been kind of teasing, sly even, but there's none of that now.
his own scarlet eyes are softer, his tone gentler.
when he approaches, he'll stand in silence for a few moments, just so that the only sound between them is the sound of the fountain water running. ]
[ He looks up slightly when he hears a familiar voice. He doesn't react for a moment, and he's almost expecting William to say something clever here --
but he doesn't. He just offers his condolences. His voice is gentle, unlike anything Tenn's heard from him before. Tenn tries to fight back the tears stinging at his eyes as he looks up at Moriarty. Maybe over a week ago, he would've thought that Moriarty could've done this -- but...now, he wants to believe that that couldn't be true.
His voice is hoarse, shaking when he replies. ]
...Thank you, but I'm the one who should be sorry. I couldn't protect him, in the end.
[ It's clear that he blames himself for this. His clothes and skin are still stained with Riku's blood; but really, he feels like he ought to be. Riku's death, he feels, is on his hands. ]
to his credit - william absolutely does notice the way tenn is trying to fight back tears as he looks up at william, so william moves closer, crouches down so that tenn has an excuse to look down and hide his face if he needs to, and he reaches into the pocket of his suit to pull out a handkerchief, one that he'll push into tenn's hand gently.
he can't say that this is the same way that he'd grieve if he'd found louis dead, cut up like how hamelin's death reports have shown
(william would have gone straight to revenge murder, tbh)
but he understands the sentiments, in the end. ]
You did your best. [ it's stated simply, matter of factly, but as kindly as he can, because he's observed the way tenn dotes over riku right from the very first day, when he figured out the connection between them from those brief contextual clues ] And if you were under the enchanted sleep Hamelin mentioned last week, there wasn't much that you could do anyway. However--
[ his gaze is steely, grim, almost. ]
--there is nothing stopping you from avenging him and delivering punishment to his killer.
[ He'd be lying if he said he didn't. Tenn, the people's angel, bringer of smiles -- thinking about delivering punishment like this. How sickening. What has this place turned him into, he wonders as he takes the handkerchief. ]
Hamelin wants us to finish the killers off.
[ He pauses for a moment. ]
I'm not good in combat, but... I have what I need to do the job. If we find the right person --
[ but tenn, oh, tenn, how william's own expression flickers with regret for just that split second when tenn says his piece, because tenn reminds him of
(himself, when he'd made the fateful decision to burn the moriarty mansion to the ground)
(adam whitely, in the depths of his despair, before william had taken his life as an offering)
and his heart mourns, if only for the loss of innocence that comes with having murder touch you.
a pause. one that probably lasts a little bit too long, to be comfortable, almost as if william is coming to terms with it, himself, but eventually, he will nod. ]
I cannot ask you to forsake the path of revenge, if that is what you desire.
[ because he himself would have done the same thing, and it seems almost hypocritical to discourage tenn from wanting to avenge riku's murder with his own two hands. ]
... Do you trust me, Tenn?
[ he can help. let him help, let william share the burden with you, as he has done for so many others. ]
William's silence isn't all that uncomfortable, because Tenn needs it, too. He doesn't know if it's what he really wants. He'd be lying if he said he didn't -- some part of him definitely wants retribution for this -- but he doesn't think it's what Riku would want. He doesn't even feel like he should be doing this, either.
He's confused. He doesn't know what's right or wrong. He starts tearing up again and wipes at his eyes, even as Moriarty presents his question to him. ]
I...
[ ...he doesn't know if he trusts Moriarty. He does, to some extent, but it depends on what this entails. He doesn't know who to trust here, really. Not after today. ]
[ he understands far more than you would think, tenn.
so william reaches out a hand to tenn, more in offering than anything, scarlet eyes meeting tearstained pink, and-- ]
If you want justice, revenge, if you want to make them pay for what they have done, I can help you. Maybe not in tomorrow's trial, not when Gin's killer also has to be found, but I will do whatever I can in my power to give you what you want.
[ even if it means letting tenn kill with his own two hands, even if william personally is reluctant to let him to.
(he knows, more intimately than anyone, the damage that comes with having one's hands stained irrevocably black, no matter how deserving the other person is of death.)
but if it helps-- ]
There is a possibility to bring Riku back, after all. [ thanks, notegate, thanks, thursday meeting. ] It does not have to be the end.
I'll ask you yet again. Do you trust me, Tenn Kujo?
[ sometime in a reasonable hour in the morning - because william can be an early riser when he wants to be, but everyone deserves a lie in after that Mess of a trial.
and besides, he's still holding onto one of tenn's possessions.
so he'll knock on tenn's room door before heading downstairs, probably. ]
[ the door opens with a muted click, with tenn behind the door, and william greets him with a muted smile, making sure to close the door behind him after he steps across the threshold. tenn might notice that he's dressed a little differently today - none of his usual brown suit, and more in clothes that look like they're easier to move around in. ]
[ If anything, this will help him snap out of his terrible thoughts. He's a little distracted though, so the outfit change is just a little footnote rather than something he feels like mentioning. ]
...Sorry. I caused you a lot of trouble, back there.
Par for the course. I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I've dealt with worse.
[ it's fine, he understands about being distracted and also about that outburst from the day before.
that's perfectly normal, which is why it does get a knowing look and smile from william, and his hand goes to the pocket of his pants to take out a very familiar orb. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
after investigation 2
For now, though, before they're summoned to their next trial, Tenn can be found sitting at the fountain, head in his hands. ]
no subject
what if it had been louis?
william can't imagine how tenn must be feeling now, but
he is also an older brother, so he has some kind of idea-- ]
Tenn?
[ so far, in all their interactions, william has always been kind of teasing, sly even, but there's none of that now.
his own scarlet eyes are softer, his tone gentler.
when he approaches, he'll stand in silence for a few moments, just so that the only sound between them is the sound of the fountain water running. ]
... I'm sorry.
[ he genuinely is. ]
no subject
but he doesn't. He just offers his condolences. His voice is gentle, unlike anything Tenn's heard from him before. Tenn tries to fight back the tears stinging at his eyes as he looks up at Moriarty. Maybe over a week ago, he would've thought that Moriarty could've done this -- but...now, he wants to believe that that couldn't be true.
His voice is hoarse, shaking when he replies. ]
...Thank you, but I'm the one who should be sorry. I couldn't protect him, in the end.
[ It's clear that he blames himself for this. His clothes and skin are still stained with Riku's blood; but really, he feels like he ought to be. Riku's death, he feels, is on his hands. ]
I...failed him.
no subject
to his credit - william absolutely does notice the way tenn is trying to fight back tears as he looks up at william, so william moves closer, crouches down so that tenn has an excuse to look down and hide his face if he needs to, and he reaches into the pocket of his suit to pull out a handkerchief, one that he'll push into tenn's hand gently.
he can't say that this is the same way that he'd grieve if he'd found louis dead, cut up like how hamelin's death reports have shown
(william would have gone straight to revenge murder, tbh)
but he understands the sentiments, in the end. ]
You did your best. [ it's stated simply, matter of factly, but as kindly as he can, because he's observed the way tenn dotes over riku right from the very first day, when he figured out the connection between them from those brief contextual clues ] And if you were under the enchanted sleep Hamelin mentioned last week, there wasn't much that you could do anyway. However--
[ his gaze is steely, grim, almost. ]
--there is nothing stopping you from avenging him and delivering punishment to his killer.
no subject
[ He'd be lying if he said he didn't. Tenn, the people's angel, bringer of smiles -- thinking about delivering punishment like this. How sickening. What has this place turned him into, he wonders as he takes the handkerchief. ]
Hamelin wants us to finish the killers off.
[ He pauses for a moment. ]
I'm not good in combat, but... I have what I need to do the job. If we find the right person --
[ -- he won't hesitate, bitch. ]
yuumori spoilers all up in here
[ but tenn, oh, tenn, how william's own expression flickers with regret for just that split second when tenn says his piece, because tenn reminds him of
(himself, when he'd made the fateful decision to burn the moriarty mansion to the ground)
(adam whitely, in the depths of his despair, before william had taken his life as an offering)
and his heart mourns, if only for the loss of innocence that comes with having murder touch you.
a pause. one that probably lasts a little bit too long, to be comfortable, almost as if william is coming to terms with it, himself, but eventually, he will nod. ]
I cannot ask you to forsake the path of revenge, if that is what you desire.
[ because he himself would have done the same thing, and it seems almost hypocritical to discourage tenn from wanting to avenge riku's murder with his own two hands. ]
... Do you trust me, Tenn?
[ he can help. let him help, let william share the burden with you, as he has done for so many others. ]
no subject
William's silence isn't all that uncomfortable, because Tenn needs it, too. He doesn't know if it's what he really wants. He'd be lying if he said he didn't -- some part of him definitely wants retribution for this -- but he doesn't think it's what Riku would want. He doesn't even feel like he should be doing this, either.
He's confused. He doesn't know what's right or wrong. He starts tearing up again and wipes at his eyes, even as Moriarty presents his question to him. ]
I...
[ ...he doesn't know if he trusts Moriarty. He does, to some extent, but it depends on what this entails. He doesn't know who to trust here, really. Not after today. ]
Why are you asking?
no subject
[ he understands far more than you would think, tenn.
so william reaches out a hand to tenn, more in offering than anything, scarlet eyes meeting tearstained pink, and-- ]
If you want justice, revenge, if you want to make them pay for what they have done, I can help you. Maybe not in tomorrow's trial, not when Gin's killer also has to be found, but I will do whatever I can in my power to give you what you want.
[ even if it means letting tenn kill with his own two hands, even if william personally is reluctant to let him to.
(he knows, more intimately than anyone, the damage that comes with having one's hands stained irrevocably black, no matter how deserving the other person is of death.)
but if it helps-- ]
There is a possibility to bring Riku back, after all. [ thanks, notegate, thanks, thursday meeting. ] It does not have to be the end.
I'll ask you yet again. Do you trust me, Tenn Kujo?
no subject
Moriarty-san. I won't give you an answer right now. Not...not when I can't keep my thoughts straight.
[ His hand curls in his lap. ]
I...let me handle this. Let me do what I can.
[ And if he can't, if he truly cant satisfy that need to get revenge, if they fail to catch the culprit -- ]
I don't want anyone else to get dragged into my selfishness. If anyone is going to pay the price for my actions, it should be me. Not you.
saturday after trial 2
and besides, he's still holding onto one of tenn's possessions.
so he'll knock on tenn's room door before heading downstairs, probably. ]
It's William. William James Moriarty.
[ ... a pause. ]
Is it a bad time?
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He looks...surprisingly well-rested, given everything. He was just that tired from the other day, looks like. ]
It's fine. You can come in.
no subject
I'm not interrupting anything, am I?
no subject
[ If anything, this will help him snap out of his terrible thoughts. He's a little distracted though, so the outfit change is just a little footnote rather than something he feels like mentioning. ]
...Sorry. I caused you a lot of trouble, back there.
no subject
I've dealt with worse.
[ it's fine, he understands about being distracted and also about that outburst from the day before.
that's perfectly normal, which is why it does get a knowing look and smile from william, and his hand goes to the pocket of his pants to take out a very familiar orb. ]
... I believe this is yours.
no subject
He takes the orb and awkwardly stuffs it back into his pocket. He looks very, very guilty as he does. ]
Thank you. For this, and for stopping me.
You were right. I would've regretted it if I followed through with it.