crowspace | The Alternate Universe Meme

[In his defense, Mettaton couldn't have had an easier target than Cherryblod. He did sleep in his room on Thursday nights, after all. Cherryblod was asking for it.

In his defense, he was a kill switch for the Kingmaker - until it was revealed that he wasn't.

In his defense, he had accepted being killed by the remaining survivors, Yosuke included, with grace and dignity.

When the participants of this round emerge from their pods, victims and culprits and survivors alike, Cherryblod takes a moment to steady himself against the machine, not looking to move or to greet anyone just yet.

He has to calm himself down first.

When his eyes meet Yosuke's, there's something like anger in them. Not at Yosuke, specifically, but real anger nonetheless.]

[He had seen Cherryblood angry before (not REALLY angry. Not the way he could be back in the day. But as far as Yosuke knows he has) but never, EVER at him. Or even aimed at him.

He wants to run over and hug him- he never thought he'd see the man again, after all.

...but he also never thought he'd have to answer for Mettaton's death to anyone that still cared. That someone that still loved Mettaton would have seen the mob he had riled up at the end. So he shows his absolute bravery and maturity-

-and tries to slink away]

Where are you going, Yosuke?

[Don't think he doesn't know a retreat when he sees one. 'Retreat' may be too kind a word.]

Not even going to greet me after all this time?

[It's only been a few weeks. Maybe Yosuke's moved on, but Cherryblod knows he hasn't.

If he moved on just because he was upset with someone, he wouldn't be in this situation at all.]

... h-hey, Cherry!

[He looks like Cherryblood is about to hit him, wincing away like an abused dog- both scared and hopeful. Always hopeful.]

I thought... you might need a minute?

A year would be better, but let's get the important things out of the way first.

[He knows why, how could you, all those questions. Mettaton was the Mastermind, responsible for their torture of two months; it's natural to take revenge. So he doesn't ask those pointless things.]

I understand why, but I won't forgive you.

[He's still hunching over himself a bit, looking like some slinking animal. But now instead of just fear and a hand licking sense of appeasement there's something else. Resentment and anger- his tone is sarcastic and mean in a way he had flung around before... but never at Cherryblod]

Yeah, well you weren't there to have an opinion one way or another.

[Oh good, then they're equally mean right now.]

Oh, no, I was there. Trust me. Saw one of my children die with perfect clarity.

[He was afraid of that. He wants to throw up]

We did what we had to do- you KNOW him, he already tricked us once. You... you can't really believe he would have just lived peacefully if we let him go?!

What I believe is that you had a choice for once, and you still decided to go with the choice that ended in someone dead, even after all of this.

I'm disappointed.

[That's less angry than it is - tired, all of a sudden.

He really did think you were better than that, Yosuke. He really did think he could count on you to at least not lead the angry mob.]

[Yosuke is trembling, eyes wide and wet, flicking back and forth liek he was expecting the others to join in on this any moment. Trapped. Cornered. His voice raises and octave]

He killed you, Cherryblod! And... a-and what about that other guy? Ryuunosuke. That...

[He holds himself up with his own arms in defense. That man... Mettaton was bad, Adachi was bad. But there was an instinctual disgust the moment he saw Rynnosuke's eyes. Blank, hollow- it reminded him of the first time he had seen Izanami in her true form. Like his body was a nest of maggots and crawling things- his insides rotten and and moving. If it had just been Mettaton he might have been able to remember what he thought was a friendship. But with that thing there his gut reaction was to kill him, kill him and burn the body before it spreads

Some men just need killing]

I don't... I don't regret it.

[Even though he's crying by now]

...No. I knew you wouldn't.

[Cherryblod's ambivalent about his own 'death'. He'd put himself in a vulnerable position and suffered the consequences. Of course Mettaton killed him - that's the person that Mettaton is. Was.

He already knew that, before he knew anything about him being the Kingmaker.]

But you can't expect me to forgive it, either. Even from you.

[Yosuke has the best chance of forgiveness compared to any other survivor, by merit of who he is to Cherryblod.]

[He nods, eyes screwed shut. He can't look at Cherryblod right now, but he's not running away either]

You're... alive. That's enough.

[ 'You never have to see me again']

...That said. There are still some things I have left to apologize for.

[Even if he's angry, that doesn't change-]

I'm sorry. It hurt you more than it hurt me when I died, and the fault is mine. [He'd made a mistake and he understands that it could easily have been avoided.] Never intended to put you through that pain - I'm sorry.

[If it was anything like what he's feeling now, the death of a loved one, then he could never apologize enough.]

It... it was pretty dumb.

[He doesn't sound accusatory- more like he almost wants to laugh. Though he knows if he does he won't stop. Might not ever stop. So instead his face twists with the effort to hold everything in]

But... it wasn't your fault. Not really.

My darling son was in pain and I wasn't there to comfort him - so I have to apologize anyway.

[He really wants to hug him, despite everything. It's a father's natural instinct, even when they're bitterly fighting.]

[He looks surprised. Shocked even, that Cherry still wants to refer to him like that. After all, they aren't actually related at all- he's not bound by any obligation. His nose wrinkles as he tries to stop himself from leaking everywhere like he's 10 years younger then he is.

And part of him realizes that this attachment is what put them both in this state of pain. Black was right all along- he can't say he regrets it though. Maybe he really is a masochist]

And I'm... sorry I couldn't help you, either.

[Family is family, no matter what they do, no matter what becomes of them. If Cherryblod could shed those ties once he's put them on, they wouldn't have had this argument.]

...Understand if you don't trust me near you, after all that, but you look like you could use a hug right now.

[And despite everything that's hurting him now - it's always his first instinct to comfort the people he loves.

He won't take a step toward Yosuke if he doesn't receive permission. He's a dangerous man who's upset over the loss of his son, after all - feeling threatened would be sensible. But he won't hurt Yosuke.]

[He knows Cherry can fake sweetness. Could take him in his arms and snap his neck with that same smile.

Kinda like Mettaon. Only Mettaton was more honest. But after everything Yosuke doesn't have it in him to deny Cherry. Even as he was just saying the man was dumb for being so trusting. He's a hypocrite himself- I mean, one just had to look over at Will to know that.

So he slowly walks into Cherry's space, resting his forehead on his shoulder]

[Today, Yosuke's trust is well-placed. Cherryblod wraps his arms around Yosuke in a gentle, soothing hug, lightly stroking Yosuke's hair.]

It's all over now. You can let everything out.

[Killing two men can't have been easy for Yosuke, and even though Cherry hates that he did it - he knows Yosuke is on the verge of a breakdown, and it's safer to have one in his arms than anywhere else.]

[Yosuke makes a small whine in his throat, an animal in a trap, entire body shaking. Cherryblod is right, he's at his limits. But instead of crying more he hugs back.

He isn't the only one hurting right now, and how many times had he told Cherryblod to think of himself too? If he can't be at least try to be there for him, then even trying to talk to the man after what he did was pointless.

He's not a child anymore, he can't keep taking and not giving back]

...I'm alive. That should be enough, my dear.

[In another world, Cherryblod's good fortune today restored his hopes that his wife and daughter were alive. In another world, he had already made plans to return with Sigrun to her own world, to have a future there.

In this world, he doesn't have that hope, and the only family he knows for certain is alive is someone he will never truly forgive for their actions.

So though he's trembling badly enough that Yosuke can feel it -

- that's just the way it is, isn't it? This loneliness is something he'll have to live with when he goes home.]

I... I'll make this right. Somehow.

[It's a hollow promise, but he's trying. God he's trying]

...There's nothing for me to return to.

[He's starting to tear up, and his voice quivers, but he tries his hardest to stay steady. He only marginally succeeds.]

My wife and daughter are almost certainly dead, Mettaton is dead, my home is corrupted and dying there wouldn't nearly be the worst thing that could happen to me. I can't go back with you.

[Even not considering what just happened, Yosuke's world is no place for a shrimp.]

It should feel like we won, but... I don't feel like celebrating at all.

We'll figure something out- we're... we're not even really sure what state your world IS in yet, right?

Do you want to look?

The portal's right there. Hold your breath.

[No reason they can't just take a peek.]

wow I need to get my paid back

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