Ω → seven

Entry tags:

Ω → seven

Characters: Wilhelm and Shiro... possibly Wretched Egg?
Setting: Libary.
Format: Prose.
Summary: Wilhelm makes good on a promise.
Warnings: Should be relatively innocent... unless Wretched Egg comes out.

White Day. Wilhelm almost never even paid the tradition dating back to Japan on Jerusalem any mind until now, until Valentine's Day came one month prior. Shiro gave him a present, and asked for one in return. Wilhelm may not be the nicest guy ever - depending on who you asked, anyway - but how could he say no to something that harmless? Besides... Shiro interested him. So did the Wretched Egg, for that matter, but for entirely different reasons.

He didn't need to remind Shiro where he'd be. As childish as she seemed on the surface, there was no way she'd forget something like being promised a present. If anything, she's smarter than she lets on.

He slowly reached into his desk, and withdraws a small, white hair-ribbon. Where he did he get it? He actually made it; it was made up of ripped fabric found in the infirmary - hey, they throw that stuff out all the time - and sewn into a hair tie. It wasn't big, or particularly fancy, but it was the best he could do given the materials. And Wilhelm wasn't much of a fashion designer.

She'd be here any minute. And he'd be more than happy to give her what he promised.

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Shiro had been counting the days. So of course when she woke on March 14th, the white ribbon Wilhelm had promised her was the first thing on her mind. She hoped he hadn't forgotten about it. But Wilhelm was a serious man. He didn't seem to be the kind who forgot things. Especially not something as important as a promise.

She wondered for a bit if she should try and sneak into his room. But then she remembered she had given him the chocolates in the library. So maybe that was where he was waiting for her with the ribbon? That would have been more ...romantic? ...logical? Anyway it did make sense to Shiro. Soon she was headed for the library.

She walked in tentatively, or at least in a less overly excited way than usual. As soon as she spotted Wilhelm seated at his desk holding a white ribbon, though, she beamed. Literally. Her smile could have lightened up the darkest day.

"Wilhelm! Hello! ...Shiro's here!"

She knew he couldn't have forgotten about it.

Edited 2013-03-14 15:02 (UTC)

Romantic... not quite what Wilhelm was going for, but given the significance of the holiday and given that this 'Ganta' person isn't here, it may very well seem that way to the Wretched Egg and quite possibly to Shiro as well. Her voice was unmistakeable; the happy, bubbly tone was nothing like the quiet, monotonous, yet chilling tone of the Wretched Egg.

"Hello, Shiro," he greeted cordially, just as he was pouring himself a fresh glass of wine. "Did you sleep well?"

A question that obviously asks more than it implies. He's talked to both of them enough times to know what she dreams about. And given what seems to be going on in the Tower lately...

Shiro didn't know what 'romantic' was to be honest. She just thought there was a nice ring to it. And that it was when a boy did something to show a girl he cared about her. Nothing beyond that, really. As for Wretched Egg, she thought romanticism was a way for boys to manipulate girls into doing what they wanted. So she certainly didn't wish for anything romantic.

Shiro walked closer to Wilhelm as he greeted her and nodded enthusiastically. "Shiro did! Shiro played a game with Aceman all night!"

She tilted her head looking curiously at the ruby colored liquid in Wilhelm's glass. "Wilhelm likes wine a lot, huh?"

Well... good. Wilhelm would rather not go down that road, even if he does care for her. Besides... between Ganta and this 'Hagire' person - or was it Toto? - it sounds like she already has people to fill that particular void.

"A game?" Interesting... the kind of games Wretched Egg wanted to play with him before generally involved someone getting hurt, though she did play chess with him once or twice according to that future event. She didn't take losing well, though she was getting better. He doesn't ask what kind of 'game' they played, though he was curious; she could tell him if she wanted to.

"I do. I would offer you a glass, but it is generally frowned upon for people your age to consume alcohol." Besides, last time Shiro got drunk... bad things happened. Still, he wouldn't stop her from pouring herself a glass if she insisted on it. "I found the ribbon you asked for. I think it would look very nice in your hair."

He shouldn't think so much about it. For Shiro, he's just him: Wilhelm. Not Ganta, or Toto or her GrandPa. He won't take anyone else's place and no one will take his. Shiro has a lot of room in her heart... Since Wretched Egg gladly lets her keep all the room for herself.

She nodded. "Yes. Finding all the new Deadmen hiding in the Tower." She likes that Wilhelm always seems interested in what she says. Even if he knows a lot. Maybe it's because he has the same eye color and hair color than Shiro. Toto said once he got his new outfit so that he would look like Shiro and Aceman. To be closer to them. Shiro likes that Wilhelm and her look so much alike. Because Wilhelm is nice and Shiro's never had any family. Except her GrandPa but he didn't look like her.

Shiro came closer but she had already forgotten about the wine, her attention focused on the ribbon. "Shiro likes it! And Shiro will put it in her hair if Wilhelm wants it." She paused as she seemed to ponder something. "But since Shiro's hair is white and the ribbon is white, Wilhelm is sure he'll still see it in Shiro's hair?"

"I see," he answers. Yep, that sounds like her. Using Shiro as a spy to hunt down everyone she would want to test, if not kill. "You needn't worry about me, then. I don't have blood. And therefore, I cannot become one."

Besides, foreign technology inside of his body wouldn't work anyway. "White ribbons are customary for White Day, aren't they? So long as it's in a bow, it should be noticeable."

"Shiro knows. Aceman already told Shiro Wilhelm wasn't playing this time."

Shiro tilted her head. "Shiro thinks so... But Shiro doesn't care if others notice it. If Wilhelm says it's nice, Shiro will be happy." She took the ribbon and tied it into her hair, making one small braid on the right side of her head. And then she looked at Wilhelm somewhat expectantly. "Is that nice?"

"Does that disappoint you?" He asks. The fact that Wretched Egg told Shiro herself was interesting, but he was more interested in the nature of this 'game' she was playing.

What she says next was surprisingly... sweet. Wilhelm may be quite deadpan himself, but he understands human nature enough to know sincerity when he hears it. "It looks quite lovely, Shiro."

Shiro seemed to ponder this a moment. She always took every question Wilhelm asks her very seriously. And then she shook her head. "No. As long as Shiro can see Wilhelm and spend some time with Wilhelm, it's fine. Shiro understands that Wilhelm has a lot of serious stuff to work on and think about." Like Ganta's mother used to. "So it makes sense Wilhelm can't play with Shiro all the time." She paused. "Aceman seemed a bit disappointed, though. But she certainly understands too."

Shiro beamed at the compliment. "Wilhelm really thinks so?" But she didn't wait for his answer. Wilhelm never lied and Shiro knew that. So she spontaneously pulled Wilhelm into a hug.

It was rather odd how affectionate she sounded. As if she was looking for a parental figure. Wilhelm didn't know much about this 'hagire' person, but he looked too young to be that to Shiro. As for 'Aceman...' well, she didn't fit the bill, either.

"I am capable of multitasking. You are more than welcome to visit me whenever you wish. After all..." He glances at the Compass. "I will be ready."

That hug took him by surprise. He seems taken aback by the sudden hug, and after a few moments of stunned hesitance, he tentatively returns the hug with one arm. "I do."

Shiro glanced at the compass, careful not to reach out for it. No matter how much she would have liked to touch it. "The Compass tells Wilhelm everything, right? ...Sometimes Shiro would like to have one too."

Shiro was about to pull away when he wrapped his arm around her. And so she leaned closer instead, enjoying the moment. Displays of affection were not something Shiro often got. Of course now, thanks to Tohko, she had her cat plushies to cuddle with. But it still wasn't the same as having someone gently hug you. "Wilhelm is nice to Shiro. Thank you."

"I suspect people do," Wilhelm answered. "However, it is a responsibility entrusted only to me. There are very few people whose minds can handle being connected to this device. Those who are not strong enough would collapse under the weight of the collective subconscious."

She hadn't pulled away yet, and while Wilhelm was not exactly used to it either, he knows someone (or in this case, two someones) would get upset if he accidentally hurt her feelings, and thus didn't release her too early. Though... it was a little awkward. But since this would potentially prove useful later on...

"You say that as if there are people who do not show you kindness."

"So Wilhelm has a very strong mind, then?" She looked impressed. "Shiro promise she won't touch the Compass."

If Shiro had known he was only holding her because he thought it could prove useful to gain her trust, she would have been so disappointed. And hurt. She already trusted Wilhelm a lot. And she admired him. ...But she should have known from personal experience that whenever someone was nice to her, whether it was out of personal interest or it ended badly.

For now she just pulled away and slightly looked embarrassed by Wilhelm's question. "There are a lot of nice people in this Tower. More than in Deadman Wonderland. More than anywhere Shiro has ever lived before."

"It is required of my role in the universe." He believes her. Shiro may behave childishly, but she wasn't stupid. Far from it, actually.

Well... he did genuinely like her. But Wilhelm was never the affectionate type, and likely wouldn't be even in a romantic context. He gently strokes her hair, before finally letting go. A hug this long was long enough, right?

"It is not surprising that many people here would be kind to you," he replied. His expression was blank, but if it were possible for him to smile, he would be. "You are young, and moreover, a source of positive energy in the Tower. It is not uncommon for humans to see people like you are a reason to be optimistic, even in the most horrific of situations."

Shiro nodded and seemed to ponder something. "Wilhelm thinks Shiro has a role in the universe too."

Yes. It was long enough. Shiro looked around, searching for a mirror to see how she looked with her new ribbon.

"Shiro is a source of positive energy?" She smiled, not quite sure what he exactly meant by that. But there was a nice ring to it. And maybe that was her role.

"From what I know of you, that is self-evident."

Well, considering what Wretched Egg is a source of, that should be a good thing. There weren't any mirrors present in the library, but there were windows. "Others find you enjoyable to be around."

"Which one?"

She moved to stand in front of a window and looked at her reflection. She looked nice, right? No... Lovely. That was what Wilhelm had said.

"Who does Wilhelm mean?"

"You have friends here, do you not?" A rhetorical question. He knows for a fact she does. "Or do you mean to tell me that you do not believe they truly like you?"

"Shiro... never thought of it that way." But Wilhelm is suggesting she should, apparently. So she decides to do it right now. "Shiro thinks Toto likes her. And Tohko too. And maybe Red too."

"Then you have your answer." Wilhelm places a hand on Shiro's mittened hand, for a moment, but quickly removes it. "It is difficult not to like you, after all. It is only to be expected that the same is the case here."

The fleeting gesture, no matter how brief, has Shiro stare at her mitten covered hand and then at Wilhelm. Shiro's not used to hearing such sweet things about her. She smiles. "It is easy to like Wilhelm too." At least it is for someone as innocent as Shiro.

"Many would disagree. But, thank you." How odd. He'd almost certainly be hearing about this from Wretched Egg, later.

"If Shiro hears them, Shiro will tell them they're wrong!"

Shiro sits down next to Wilhelm, and for a moment, she doesn't say a word. But she looks like a kid who wants to ask you something and doesn't yet dare doing so. After a minute, she braces herself though.

"Does Wilhelm know songs?"

He'd have smiled were it possible for him to do so. But, well, it's Wilhelm. It was hard not to like Shiro. As she takes a seat next to him, Wilhelm notes her hesitation, but her question seemed innocent enough.

"I do."

Maybe she'd earn a smile from him, one day. Even if it was Wilhelm. Because it was Shiro and she'd been close to achieving it more than once.

She looked up at him hopefully.

"Sing it to me?"

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