darkinferno | [narrations + overflow]

"Because you're my friend." He says it like it's the simplest thing in the world.

"This isn't quite the time or the place to go into specifics, but if you're convinced you're still a bad person deep down, then look around you. You're standing here, in this building, right now, because you're trying to figure this out. Not for the self-serving reasons, but you always keep in mind that there are a lot of other people stuck in this situation with you. And that they're at risk. So you'll do anything you can to help."

"You can try to tell me it's selfish. I know better." That smile of Togusa's turns a little knowing. "So. I'm staying."

Yeah, that look on his face isn't going anywhere. Friends? That easily? It seems impossible. Togusa's everything he isn't, the sort of guy that gets respect just by being himself. He's softer, even if he is a cop, gentler, more willing to give someone a smile and a helping hand than he is to ignore them or rub salt in the wound. The only similarity between the two of them is their refusal to let the Retrospec matter go, the fact that they're both here in this moment.

Even with Togusa's warning against getting into it here, Dante still can't prevent himself from disagreeing aloud. "That's not... why I'm doing it, though." He looks away, not wanting to say anything more. Why is it that Togusa can see so much good at him? Why is it that Togusa is missing the obvious explanations for his actions and choosing instead to attribute them to some sort of benevolence he just doesn't have?

"I don't sneak in for other people's sakes. I sneak in because it pisses Retrospec off. Because if I can get my hands on information they don't want us to have, it'll make them feel less secure in their bunker. I want to make them feel the same way they've been trying to make us feel. How can you say that isn't self-serving?"

Again, his voice seems to fail him a little bit. "How can you say we're friends just like that?"

"It's true, isn't it? The two of us have been watching out for each other enough, we've got to be friends."

Togusa gets it, or at least he thinks he does. Dante's been abandoned by so many people in his life, Togusa had tracked the inability to trust other people. Him and Ardyn get kept at arm's length because Dante is waiting for them to decide he isn't worth it any more, like every other adult in his life. But, no, it has gone farther, and Dante is also starting to wonder what it is that's wrong with him to make everyone leave. He's the common denominator.

"There's nothing wrong with you. Nothing wrong with wanting revenge, either. So, if that's really what you're doing it for, then cool, keep doing it, because it's helping other people out." But, that tone in Togusa's voice says that he doesn't fully buy that that's the reason Dante is here.

[It's mind-boggling, really: is that really all there is to it? If so, then by Togusa's standards, Dante's got a whole plethora of friends--except Dante doesn't feel that level of comfort he attributes to a friend around most of them, the way he feels when he's around Ari, or Prompto, or...

His expression breaks again in surprise at Togusa's next words. Where is this coming from? Nothing wrong with him? Has Togusa met him?

But it's that tone in the other man's voice that makes him frown.]

If there's something you want to say, then say it.

How does Togusa want to put this? If he goes too heavy-handed here, it's only going to piss Dante off. So, keep it simple.

"If you take a look at what you've been doing, instead of worrying about why you've been doing it? Then the result is that you've been helping out a lot of people. And I don't know if anybody's thanked you for that, so thank you." You care, Dante. And I know you care. And it's not wrong to.

Togusa shrugs easily. "Actions are always more important to me. I wouldn't be standing in this room, myself, if they weren't."

Unfortunately, it's easier than not to annoy Dante, especially in a situation like this. His frown deepens. "I don't need your thanks. I already told you I'm not doing it for anybody else's sake. You don't always need to try and bolster my confidence or whatever it is you're doing."

Whoops. Sorry, Togusa.

"Well sorry, then." He keeps his tone light, shrugs it off. "Investigation's a thankless job, I know that better than most. It's the same I'd do for anybody working in the field with me." He pushes off from the table he's been leaning on.

"You got pictures? I'm probably going to split before Retrospec decides we're not amusing any more and they kick us out." A good point to disengage, let Dante think over what he's said. Togusa's different when it comes to fighting, but the parts he's okay with Dante helping with, he'll try to encourage.

"Hang on." Dante pulls his phone back out, taking a few pictures of the room for record. A few of the room at large, some closer shots of Maurice's research and the various items around... he doubts they'll be able to get back into this room again or, if they do, that it'll have the same items. They need to get as much detail as they can right now.

But after a few minutes, he'll straighten back up, nodding toward Togusa. "All right. Let's get out of here."

They've gotten some good information here, but it's definitely time to take a step back before he says something he might regret later.

There's really not anything more to be said, Togusa will continue to back off. "Some time you're going to have to explain how the hell you snuck up on me," Togusa comments, but it's with a smile. He heads down the stairs.

"I have to get back, but I get the feeling we're going to find out what this was for sooner rather than later." He nods casually to Dante. Don't make too big of a deal about it. But he'll keep an ear out for whenever Dante wants to follow up on this.

There's a flicker of Dante's usual smirk as he follows Togusa toward the stairs. "I don't know about that. I may just have to leave you guessing."

He's just... going to wait a couple moments to make sure that the stairs aren't going to turn into a slide on Togusa before he follows after him, suspicious of them the entire time--he's not going to be caught twice by that!

Once they're outside of the building, Dante gives a flippant wave. "Later, Togusa."

Edited 2017-08-13 23:14 (UTC)

[narrations + overflow]

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