INBOX - NHD-C12-KRI-248 - IKARI, SHINJI

[forevalone]

ikari.shinji@cdc.org
(0) UNREAD MESSAGES

text message	audio message	voice mail
<span style="font-family:courier;"><B>FROM:</B> lastname.firstname@cdc.org <B>TO:</B> ikari.shinji@cdc.org [[200 max character message here]]</span>	<span style="font-family:courier;"><B>CALLING:</B> LAST NAME, FIRST NAME</span> [[3 minute max message here]]	<span style="font-family:courier;"><B>(1) VOICEMAIL:</B> LAST NAME, FIRST NAME [[3 minute max message here]]

Comments

[vengeance_driven]

[He feels a little bad about this, mostly because the little animal seems happy to be nestled down in his loosely closed uniform top, between fabric and undershirt. He takes it out before the door is knocked on, though, holding it carefully in both hands.]

[When it's opened, Niko doesn't get all the way out. Instead he sits in the open doorway, feet on the ground, and holds up Šupak for him to take.]

I need you to do a couple of favors, alright? Make sure you make his last name Šupak. His first name is Packie now. After a good friend who had to go away. And make sure he gets some time with Erin and Elena. Erin especially. I think she needs friends that will not judge her.

[He waits for Shinji to take him, before settling his elbows on his legs and folding his hands in front of him.]

[forevalone]

_{[Shinji isn't sure what he was expecting to be given, but it wasn't the little creature he'd been petsitting here and there for Niko. He's a little surprised, automatically holding out his hands to take 'Packie' into his arms. It soon fades to a look of confusion. Niko didn't want him anymore?]}

It's 'Paki-chan' now? _{[A pause.]} You want me to keep him?

[vengeance_driven]

Yes. You're a good person for him. Less big and loomy and scary. [He scratches his scruff in a show of looking apish and ridiculous at Shinji.]

I think you will be much happier with each other. Him and you, too.

[forevalone]

_{[Packie wriggles a bit in his arms, sticking his nose into the crook of his elbow. It's true that the little creature's bonded with Shinji and he does feel happier having him around. Niko's assessment is right on the mark in that regard. There's a little pause before he finds himself smiling. Niko might be the type of person that Shinji would have automatically avoided based on appearance alone, but the first time he'd really met him had been under extremely unfortunate circumstances. There wasn't room in him back then to feel fear when he was overloaded already, not to mention how Niko had treated him that day had forever placed the man in Shinji's good books, regardless of what his past might be.]}

Thank you, Niko-san...I promise I'll take good care of him. _{[Really, he'll do his best.]} ...But you shouldn't say that though - I don't think you're a scary person, Niko-san.

[vengeance_driven]

That's good of you to say. [Though he knows many people wouldn't think the same way- many people that he doesn't want to, especially. He had to intimidate people for a job, he tended to hurt strangers when he was frustrated and angry, and he knows what his role is here, especially when he's wearing the Juggernaut. That's why someone like Shinji being okay around him means a lot.]

You never made me feel like I was scary. Or that I am mean or like an idiot. Or that I am cheap and no good. [There are few good people he's going to meet here, ones with all the qualities that Niko admires in his cousin and mother, and eventually all of them will will have the goodness wrung out of them. Shinji's doing a decent job hanging onto his.]

It turns out he likes fish guts a lot. So... I know he'll eat anything but he had fun with those. [He ruins the sweet moment with that information, and then winces that he had to give it.]

[forevalone]

I don't think you are any of those things, Niko-san.

_{[It's something Shinji feels he needs to say, not just because that's legitimately how he feels, but because he knows how it feels to be told you're no good or that you're an idiot. It doesn't feel good. It feels terrible.]}

I'll try not to spoil him too much. Only sometimes.

[vengeance_driven]

[He smiles one of his unfortunate smiles. He knows that Shinji means it, even if so many other people in his recent past haven't. Ray Bulgarin, Dimitri Rascalov, Ray Boccino, Vlad Glebov, Jimmy Pegorino... All people that belittled him.]

[It's nice to have someone genuinely think the best of him, even if, in some ways, he knows better. He just really hopes that Shinji never has to see him be cruel to someone.]

Hey, you go have fun now. While we are having down time. You should use it.

[forevalone]

_{[Everyone's capable of cruelty, Shinji knows this all too well. Even he himself when pushed too hard has a mean streak in him. Packie's tail curls around his wrist as he shifts the creature's weight in his arms, giving Niko a small nod.]}

Okay, Niko-san. Thank you, again.