[...It's more of a relief than he was expecting it to be. He'd allowed himself to hope, after days without any sign that Stronghart was aware he'd slipped up, that Ryunosuke was as good as his word, but it's something else to have verbal confirmation.]
Thank you.
[...
That was really all he needed. The smart thing to do now would be to leave again, before Naruhodo can drag anything else out of him, but he finds, suddenly, that he doesn't actually want to do that. He's been lingering on their meeting since it happened, too, and as much as he's insisted since that pursuing his own identity doesn't matter in the face of his truer goals...
...It's also true that Ryunosuke Naruhodo is the first person he's had anything resembling a real conversation with since he first woke up in Hong Kong without even a name. He finds, now that his own panic over the situation has broken, that he is suddenly a little more reluctant to simply walk away from that again.
So. Naruhodo has proven himself worthy of at least a little trust. He can do his part in turn, perhaps, and offer something to a man whose only crime is grieving a friend.]
no subject
Thank you.
[...
That was really all he needed. The smart thing to do now would be to leave again, before Naruhodo can drag anything else out of him, but he finds, suddenly, that he doesn't actually want to do that. He's been lingering on their meeting since it happened, too, and as much as he's insisted since that pursuing his own identity doesn't matter in the face of his truer goals...
...It's also true that Ryunosuke Naruhodo is the first person he's had anything resembling a real conversation with since he first woke up in Hong Kong without even a name. He finds, now that his own panic over the situation has broken, that he is suddenly a little more reluctant to simply walk away from that again.
So. Naruhodo has proven himself worthy of at least a little trust. He can do his part in turn, perhaps, and offer something to a man whose only crime is grieving a friend.]
I suppose you have some questions for me.