(no subject)

[x-sanfuaiyaa.livejournal.com]

Shiro can no longer stand the looks everyone is giving him, so he figures it's time to just leave them be. But rather than go sulk in his room, he decides it'd be far less likely for anyone to find him outside in the cold. After dressing warmly enough, he heads out and just starts walking around aimlessly, using just enough of his powers to keep him warm.

Angelo spots Shiro through one of the windows - hard to miss him, when he's got his flames turned on. He quickly heads downstairs and outside, hoping to catch his former room-mate before he disappears.

He's not walking quickly, nor is he in the mood to fly, so he's rather easy to catch up with. Hearing someone run up behind him, he sighs and rolls his eyes, hoping he won't have to blast them away. When he turns around, though, he stops and looks down. "Angelo."

Angelo stops not far away from him, a little out of breath from the run. "Shiro. Hey."

Shoving his hands in his pockets and looking just the least bit awkward, Shiro returns the greeting. "Hi. Anoo . . . is there something you need from me?"

"No..." Angelo answers. "Just thought... we kind of need to talk."

He nods and continues walking, not wanting to just stand around and talk. "Yes, we should."

Angelo follows him, not sure where they're going, and even less sure that it matters. "So..."

"So," Shiro echoes. If Angelo wants to talk, let him say the first words.

Angelo takes a deep breath. "Look, man... I'm sorry about the things the others said." He stops, not sure what to say next.

"Don't apologize, you didn't say them. It's not your place to apologize."

"I should have explained things to everybody sooner", Angelo admits. "Just... couldn't face it."

Shiro shrugs. "Yes, you should have. It would have made things easier. But what's done is done, and there is nothing we can do to change it, so it's useless worrying over it."

Angelo glances down. "You'll have heard I'm moving out of the room?"

"I did," he replies softly. This he knows is his fault.

Angelo nods. "I just want to say... this doesn't mean I don't want to know you anymore." He sighs. "It just means... I don't think we make good room-mates. Doesn't mean we can't ever talk to each other again."

"Because we got into a single argument you felt the need to leave?" Shiro asks with a raised eyebrow. "One fight, and you can't sta . . . we can't live in the same room?"

"I just think maybe we'll get on better when we're not in such close quarters", Angelo replies, sticking to his guns. What he doesn't say is that he's never got the impression that Shiro liked him...

Which is not true at all. Shiro's just not the friendliest or most outgoing individual out there. He shrugs again. "Okay. Well, it's a shame things couldn't work out . . ."

"I hope they still will", Angelo says quickly. "Like I said, just because I'm in another room now doesn't mean we can't talk..."

They walk in silence for a few moments. Shiro knows there are things he should say. He should apologize. But he doesn't care. Or rather, he won't let himself. So instead he goes for a different approach. "Listen. There are some things I said to Madrox that may be construed as attacks on you. I feel like I should explain that they're not."

Angelo waits for more, but when it doesn't come, prompts quietly, "Which things?"

"It's not import . . ." No, it is. He owes Angelo at least that much. "Just that . . . I could not sympathize to the extent everyone else around here was because of my own experiences." Well, that's one way of stretching the truth.

Angelo nods. "It's okay." He hesitates, then says suddenly, "I don't have any problem with you as a person. You know? Just don't think we were meant to live in the same room." This is, in his mind, a less unprovoked way of saying "I don't hate you."

"I think you're right. You are a good person, but you and I . . . just are not meant to be roommates, I suppose."

Angelo nods again. "No hard feelings?"

"Not unless you have them," Shiro offers with a small smile.

"We're cool, then." Relieved, he relaxes and holds out a hand to shake on it.

He takes and Angelo's hand and shakes it, hard and firm. "Yes."

Angelo smiles. "Right, then. You coming back inside? It's freezing out here..."

"Wimp," Shiro teases. "No, I'm going to walk around a little while longer. I'll see you inside later."

"Suit yourself", Angelo says, laughing. "See you later." With a wave, he turns and heads back towards the mansion.

Shiro just nods at him and turns around to continue his walk, his flaming aura much calmer now.