[He's caught in indecision for a second, his natural inclination not to pry or interfere coming up against his sense of responsibility for Ken. But Ken had asked him to be his guardian and even if Minato is sure he hadn't meant it seriously, Minato takes it that way.
[Asking for Minato's guardianship hadn't been a joke, but it hardly occurs to Ken that he would take it this far seriously. Guardians were different from parents, to him. His mother loved and looked out for him; the relatives in custody of him packed him away in a school, out of sight and mostly out of mind. Why would Minato do more than is strictly necessary? He's slightly surprised by him pursuing further.]
Um. [Crap.] I.. I fell. I didn't catch myself on time.
[That's sort of what he meant by not thinking Ken had asked it seriously. Minato doesn't have any personal experience with guardians that care about his well-being either, but he's interacted with plenty of people at this point to be able to imitate it. And he's excellent at imitation.
That doesn't mean he's about to transform into a stereotype. He's still Minato. He makes a soft humming noise for a second, a sort of speculative acknowledgement and no more.]
If you need someone to catch you in the future, [he says blandly, but seriously,] please ask me.
[That sort of statement wouldn't make sense if Minato truly believed that Ken simply fell. How can you ask someone to catch you if you don't know you're going to fall? But Ken appreciates that, the gentle offer and the fact that Minato isn't hounding him for the truth. He's a little more than embarrassed and ashamed of what actually happened.]
... Thanks. [He gives him a tiny smile, to be reassuring maybe.] I'm sure I will.
[He's sure he will. In the future. In Iwatodai. He's sure he did, to this Minato who's from his future. He hopes so so that he doesn't end up breaking this promise.]
[It's why he doesn't push. Minato doesn't place his desire to know above his desire not to embarrass Ken. If it were truly important, he'd persist, but he trusts Ken enough to let him make his own decisions on whether to involve him.
(In the future, he'll probably be changing his mind on that, sighing.)]
Yes. Let's go, Koro-chan. It's to the park, right?
Yeah. [Ken nods, and Koromaru barks excitedly, too, hopping up and down once. Ken's got a leash in his bag, but that's something he only got because Charlie warned him about the possibility of leash laws. He won't use it unless necessary, and as Koromaru turns to start leading the way, he doesn't think it is today.] It's a pretty big one, and he likes it a lot. He can play with other dogs there and run around like he did at the shrine, too.
[He glances once or twice at Minato as they walk, too. Days ago, Kotetsu told him to talk to someone he could trust. A month ago, Crane pointed out he surrounded himself with people who'd care and forgive him for his self-comfort. Crane told him to set a timeline... and the deadline Ken set is coming up close. Guilt tugs at him at the thought that despite all this, he still called Minato over because he wanted to see him again.]
... Thanks for coming out here, Minato-san, [he mumbles softly.]
Why wouldn't I? We're friends. [Like it's the most obvious thing in the world.]
And you're a good caretaker, [he notes, a thought Minato's had the entire time but hasn't bothered to express until now. It slides into the conversation easily, given that it's mostly composed of quiet, understanding pauses, stretches of companionable silence as they walk. So many things unsaid, and many of them impossible to understand unless they're eventually voiced.
For now, to Minato, that's okay. He has time. He finally has time. It makes him feel curiously lighter, not in brightness but in weight.]
[He shakes his head.] I knew you'd say that. But still -- I wanted to thank you.
[He could apologize and thank him a million times, with every breath, but he doesn't think it would be enough. Just like it wouldn't be enough to apologize to Shinjiro or Aragaki, or anybody else he met here who he'd be affecting with his choices. He looks up at him, then at Koromaru.]
... Koromaru deserves anything I can give him. He and the priest were really good to me after my mom died.
[It's not in Minato's nature to wonder what he'd be like if he'd had someone like the priest and Koromaru after his parents' deaths. He's just quietly thankful Ken had had someone.]
They must have thought you deserved it, too, [he answers easily, glancing at the dog trotting alongside them.] Right?
[Koromaru's answer is a firm bark of agreement. Ken flushes, embarrassed that he probably walked straight into that one.
That isn't the purpose of today, though. As the park they're headed to comes into sight, he lets Koromaru bark and run off to play. There are probably one or two dogs there for him to play with; it's part of why they come here.]
... This is his favorite park in Heropa. There's always a few dogs at this time on the weekends, so I bring him around.
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Quietly,] What kind of accident?
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Um. [Crap.] I.. I fell. I didn't catch myself on time.
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That doesn't mean he's about to transform into a stereotype. He's still Minato. He makes a soft humming noise for a second, a sort of speculative acknowledgement and no more.]
If you need someone to catch you in the future, [he says blandly, but seriously,] please ask me.
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... Thanks. [He gives him a tiny smile, to be reassuring maybe.] I'm sure I will.
[He's sure he will. In the future. In Iwatodai. He's sure he did, to this Minato who's from his future. He hopes so so that he doesn't end up breaking this promise.]
I'm all right. Are you ready, Minato-san?
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(In the future, he'll probably be changing his mind on that, sighing.)]
Yes. Let's go, Koro-chan. It's to the park, right?
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[He glances once or twice at Minato as they walk, too. Days ago, Kotetsu told him to talk to someone he could trust. A month ago, Crane pointed out he surrounded himself with people who'd care and forgive him for his self-comfort. Crane told him to set a timeline... and the deadline Ken set is coming up close. Guilt tugs at him at the thought that despite all this, he still called Minato over because he wanted to see him again.]
... Thanks for coming out here, Minato-san, [he mumbles softly.]
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And you're a good caretaker, [he notes, a thought Minato's had the entire time but hasn't bothered to express until now. It slides into the conversation easily, given that it's mostly composed of quiet, understanding pauses, stretches of companionable silence as they walk. So many things unsaid, and many of them impossible to understand unless they're eventually voiced.
For now, to Minato, that's okay. He has time. He finally has time. It makes him feel curiously lighter, not in brightness but in weight.]
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[He could apologize and thank him a million times, with every breath, but he doesn't think it would be enough. Just like it wouldn't be enough to apologize to Shinjiro or Aragaki, or anybody else he met here who he'd be affecting with his choices. He looks up at him, then at Koromaru.]
... Koromaru deserves anything I can give him. He and the priest were really good to me after my mom died.
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They must have thought you deserved it, too, [he answers easily, glancing at the dog trotting alongside them.] Right?
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That isn't the purpose of today, though. As the park they're headed to comes into sight, he lets Koromaru bark and run off to play. There are probably one or two dogs there for him to play with; it's part of why they come here.]
... This is his favorite park in Heropa. There's always a few dogs at this time on the weekends, so I bring him around.