[She even knows that. And Atsushi is so shocked to hear it that he snaps to attention, nearly shouting in preemptive fright, because he can't believe she knows about that voice. He can't imagine anyone ever understanding, so he wonders if the headmaster is physically there; Standing in front of him, behind her, actually present. In expecting to see someone there, he is denying for a moment that she could understand. The only explanation would be that man physically being there and yet--
Atsushi sees nothing.
The voice really is in his head. Inaba really does understand what lives there.
He relaxes again. Or at least, he tries to. It's hard to shake the fear is he just inflicted on himself.]
You don't need to. [In mentioning her hold on him, Inaba brings it properly to his consciousness. He stares beyond her, sorting through the mess of emotions that have fallen to the wayside during his initial outburst. Before this, he was trying to keep Inaba from being alone. He had expected she was about to leave. How the tides have turned in that regard. Now she's holding onto him and comforting him---
Oh. She's holding onto him. Where's his hand? This is improper--!
Atsushi loosens his already pathetically loose grip on her. As he's coming down from his panic and anger, he's landing in a pit of shame and embarrassment. At least the new emotion is powerful enough to smother whatever remained of the old. Perhaps it's not healthy to bury one's confused grief, but since when Atsushi good at mental health?
He's unaware that this is his own escapist tactic. He's giving her permission to stop comforting him, because he doesn't know how to be comforted.]
no subject
Atsushi sees nothing.
The voice really is in his head. Inaba really does understand what lives there.
He relaxes again. Or at least, he tries to. It's hard to shake the fear is he just inflicted on himself.]
You don't need to. [In mentioning her hold on him, Inaba brings it properly to his consciousness. He stares beyond her, sorting through the mess of emotions that have fallen to the wayside during his initial outburst. Before this, he was trying to keep Inaba from being alone. He had expected she was about to leave. How the tides have turned in that regard. Now she's holding onto him and comforting him---
Oh. She's holding onto him. Where's his hand? This is improper--!
Atsushi loosens his already pathetically loose grip on her. As he's coming down from his panic and anger, he's landing in a pit of shame and embarrassment. At least the new emotion is powerful enough to smother whatever remained of the old. Perhaps it's not healthy to bury one's confused grief, but since when Atsushi good at mental health?
He's unaware that this is his own escapist tactic. He's giving her permission to stop comforting him, because he doesn't know how to be comforted.]
You really don't need to. Sorry. I don't notice.