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It's not a slap. It's far from the force of one, but it brings with it pain on par with some of the torture that he'd lived through.
"—Didn't we agree that you'd stay put? Why did you follow me? Didn't I tell you that it's dangerous?!"
Raqio's fury is palpable. It shakes their entire body, causing the feathers on the top of their head to sway. Their eyes burned with color as they glared at him.
"...It's because it's dangerous." His timidity has served him well in his quest to escape and survive. But he's also stubborn in his own way. He meets Raqio's anger head-on. "It's because it's clearly dangerous, which is why... I followed you, Raqio-san."
Accompanying Raqio back to Gliese isn't something that he's been aiming for from the start, but that's not to say that he hasn't given it any prior consideration. Despite appearances, Raqio has never been the sort to push him to do things that he's not comfortable with.
Going to Gliese is a choice out of his own free will.
Going against Raqio's wish for him to stay inside the room that Raqio had arranged for him upon his arrival... is also out of his free will.
His life experiences have caused him to be intimately acquainted with the malice of humans. He's especially keen to danger, with how his instincts have been honed to spot dangerous situations before they could erupt. He's well-versed in the act of running away to save his own skin. But now that he's here, running away is the opposite of what he wants to do.
Raqio continues glaring at him, but his anger has deflated slightly at the sight of him standing his ground. A deep sigh, as Raqio raises a hand to rub their forehead. "You knew that it's dangerous, and you still did it."
He had already been made aware of some of the undercurrents of the situation here in Gliese. Back in D.Q.O., Raqio had already told him snippets about his background.
Information shared verbally isn't the same as actually living through the situation. And while Raqio is someone who enjoys verbal sparring, there are information that can be gleaned from them that wouldn't involve words. Even if Raqio doesn't tell him about his plans, Remnan could sense some of them.
"I... want to help you, Raqio-san." He knows that the other person isn't the sort to keep their head down and confine themself into a small, rigid cage. He knows that there's no way the other is satisfied with the current state of their home planet. He knows that he's technically here as an invited guest, but that doesn't mean that he himself is going to be satisfied with simply being locked away in the name of safety.
One hand on their hip, and they looked like they were someone scolding a small child, despite their height difference. "Do you even understand what that would entail?"
"I do! I might... not be a genius like you, Raqio-san, but I do... know things." A part of him is giddy that someone is obviously worrying about him. A part of him squirms at being underestimated like this.
Raqio looks at him, before letting out another sigh, deeper than the last. "When I told you about Cielo, it's not for you to do something like this."
By 'something like this', it means Remnan's most recent actions. Namely: sneaking around to follow Raqio after the designated bedtime, and discovering the other's plans to form and lead a rebel group intent on transforming Gliese. In the process of stalking the other, Remnan's had to use some level of violence so he could continue unimpeded. Thankfully, Gliese is a highly industrialized planet, and a lot of its infrastructure are controlled by AI. In his own home planet, he's had more interactions with AI rather than humans, which also means that he's quite skilled in manipulating AI-based machinery.
Raqio's free hand moves to grasp his wrist. It's a warm touch. It grows even warmer when Raqio is obviously hesitant to apply more force, even when it's also obvious that they want to inspect his knuckles more. He knows that there's no bruising and no bleeding on his hands. The humans here in Gliese are far from battle-hardened—at least, they're not in the same level as other humans that he's had to run away from. He's able to defeat them without injury to himself, but Raqio doesn't seem to want to accept that.
"I... can't even presume to know what Cielo-san's... thoughts were." Remnan shakes his head, but doesn't pull away from the gentle touch on his wrist. He's someone who has strived to run away from things that could remind him of his past self being shackled, but the touch on his hand grounds him to a human world that doesn't make his skin crawl. He doesn't flinch when he meets Raqio's gaze. "But whether it's me or him... I know... that Raqio-san is kind. And brilliant. And that I'd want to help you shine freely under the sky."
They couldn't be any more different. Remnan, who wants to shrink into his shell. Raqio, who walks down their path with their head held high. But despite their differences, Raqio continues to extend a hand of friendship towards him. He knows that a part of it is due to Raqio's sentimentality, towards a person long-gone. But if Remnan's voice and presence could lend strength to them, then he'd happily stay in this place full of beautiful and painful memories. He'd gladly lend his strength to the other.
"...You... I really don't understand what you're saying now."
"...Haha. Are you saying that I've defeated your logic now, Raqio-san?"
Raqio lets out a huff. "I'm saying that you're saying illogical things."
"Is it really so illogical?" He thinks that it makes perfect sense.
"You're under no obligation to participate in this. I know that I invited you here, but the things I decide to do are not something that you should burden yourself with." Their tone is harsh, syllables cutting into the air between them. "I didn't invite you here for the purpose of making you participate in my plans."
"I understand. Raqio-san really is kind... I understand that you want to protect me."
"Huh? That's not what I'm saying. I think that you need to get some more sleep, since you're already saying things that don't make sense."
It's very typical of Raqio, to say harsh things that could be easily misunderstood. But Remnan's used to detecting others' ill-intent. There's absolutely none of it in Raqio's words. In fact, all he could glean from them is genuine care and worry. After so long, it's strange to receive such warmth from another person. And that is why... "I hope you understand too, that I want to protect you too."
If Raqio wants to lead a revolutionary group to change Gliese, it's bound to be a dangerous endeavor. This planet is massive, with a population that dwarfs his home planet. There is sure to be multiple factions, and there is sure to be a lot of resistance. Humans, especially in a position of power, despise changing the status quo. Any attempt at changing such a strict regime surely wouldn't be welcomed wholeheartedly. Raqio is brilliant, but they definitely aren't suited for violence or battle. They are brilliant, and must therefore remain untainted by murky things. Remnan is used to those, so he could handle them instead. Raqio is too kind, so it must be up to Remnan to be the merciless sword who could cut down all obstacles.
"...You really are very similar," Raqio ends up murmuring after a few moments. "But you're even more foolish, Remnan."
Being compared to someone else doesn't hurt. In fact, he welcomes it. He's not someone who has a strong presence in this world, so if there's any way for him to become even more significant to this person's eyes... It's not a bad thing at all. This is a brilliant person who is so bright that they could illuminate the darkness and scare the shadows away. When Remnan is with him, his past doesn't feel as suffocating and bleak.
If in exchange of standing by their side, he'd have to risk his life, then... It's absolutely fine with him.
"I will do my best to help you, Raqio-san," he promises, and hooks their fingers together briefly, as if to cement his vow.
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