[With a sigh, Emi let his head droop back down on Eiji's shoulder after the other boy relaxed a bit. Now he just felt emotionally exhausted on top of the physical exhaustion. He couldn't say that sharing that anecdote made him feel any better, but it... didn't make him feel worse either.]
S'not like you knew...
... I'm sorry I keep worrying you.
[He let his eyes shut, intending for just a moment.]
[It was everything else's, the world's. Society for casting them down as subhuman despite having done nothing wrong, driving them to desperation and turning a blind eye. Emi would've never been an outcast, and Eiji wouldn't have to be forced to constantly look over his shoulder, living in what would always feel like a fragile, ephemeral peace.
Eiji muttered under his breath, though out of care rather than spite,] Worry a little more about yourself, sometime.
[If not for himself, than because Eiji thought he was more than that. Because he was easy pickings to get under the ajin's skin, if Eiji's own plans against himself were anything to go by. He vaguely had to wonder what else he had said was true, but he pushed that out of mind... Or tried to.
He was somewhat starting to fall asleep on Eiji's shoulder.]
[After a few moments of continuing silence, Eiji noticed that the other boy's breathing had... slowed. Was he starting to doze off again? Eiji tried to turn his head to see, but at risk of moving too much and disrupting the blond, he couldn't move much.
With a small sigh, he muttered to Emi softly, trying to gauge if he'd hear and react.]
[The words filtered in and Emi thought he understood them for a moment, but that may have been too much to hope for with such a sleep addled brain. Even if he did understand, it was likely that this particular part of the conversation was going to be left behind here in the moment. Despite that, Emi shifted slightly. Eiji was warm. That was nice.]
The sunk cost fallacy is a product of our behavioral aversion to what is perceived as a unretriveable loss. The emotional investment we place on something, as a result, skews our decision-making process.
[Ah yes, an explanation that anyone was sure to sleep through. Eiji's voice at the volume of a low murmur certainly wasn't going to help keep Emi awake.]
[Emi had a certain weakness for Eiji's murmurings. He liked listening, even if the subject matter went over his head sometimes. This was one of those times, though that was more to do with his thoughts checking themselves in. Even still, this was pinging a small voice in his head that was telling him to listen past the murmurs that were so gently pulling him closer to sleep.]
The greater the investment, the harder it is to let go of something, even if ultimately the costs outweigh the benefits.
[From the way Eiji spoke, it was hard to tell if what he was describing was a good thing or a bad thing. It could've done either way. Rationally, it made no sense, and he knew it - but the truth was, people were equally ruled by the irrational. That was just as much a fact of life.]
[This was a good time to tell Eiji not to over think it, because he was clearly overthinking it.]
...
..... Mm...
[It was just unfortunate that Emi was just nuzzling a bit closer to Eiji's shoulder, fingers curled loosely in the hem of Eiji's shirt once more. His weight was becoming a presence as his breath drew deeper, slower. Sleep had crept up entirely, which made the conversation more of Eiji simply talking to himself out loud.]
With a small sigh, Eiji carefully shifted his body around so he could lower Emi back down to his bed, one arm around his back and the other cradling his head. Even if it felt like he'd accidentally shake the blond awake at any moment, he managed to gently lay him down.
Though... he wasn't entirely sure why, but Eiji lingered there for a moment longer, leaning over the other boy. There was so much about this picture that wasn't right - there was sno much he didn't have the power to fix. He hadn't meant for it to be this way.
Hesitant, urged only by the fact that Emi was unconscious, Eiji's hand hovered over Emi's face indecisively. It was a stupid little sentiment. Even considering it felt like a shameful secret. But this, at least, was one small, simple thing he could set right for the time being.
He let his fingers brush back Emi's frumpled, unstyled bedhead - just a little, and carefully, as not to irritate his injuries - until it resembled his old self a little more.
That done, Eiji rose up to collect the dishes, leaving Emi to his rest.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
S'not like you knew...
... I'm sorry I keep worrying you.
[He let his eyes shut, intending for just a moment.]
I just worry about you too.
no subject
[It was everything else's, the world's. Society for casting them down as subhuman despite having done nothing wrong, driving them to desperation and turning a blind eye. Emi would've never been an outcast, and Eiji wouldn't have to be forced to constantly look over his shoulder, living in what would always feel like a fragile, ephemeral peace.
Eiji muttered under his breath, though out of care rather than spite,] Worry a little more about yourself, sometime.
no subject
[If not for himself, than because Eiji thought he was more than that. Because he was easy pickings to get under the ajin's skin, if Eiji's own plans against himself were anything to go by. He vaguely had to wonder what else he had said was true, but he pushed that out of mind... Or tried to.
He was somewhat starting to fall asleep on Eiji's shoulder.]
no subject
With a small sigh, he muttered to Emi softly, trying to gauge if he'd hear and react.]
Have you ever heard of the sunk cost fallacy...?
no subject
Hmm?
no subject
[Ah yes, an explanation that anyone was sure to sleep through. Eiji's voice at the volume of a low murmur certainly wasn't going to help keep Emi awake.]
no subject
Mhmm...
no subject
[From the way Eiji spoke, it was hard to tell if what he was describing was a good thing or a bad thing. It could've done either way. Rationally, it made no sense, and he knew it - but the truth was, people were equally ruled by the irrational. That was just as much a fact of life.]
no subject
...
..... Mm...
[It was just unfortunate that Emi was just nuzzling a bit closer to Eiji's shoulder, fingers curled loosely in the hem of Eiji's shirt once more. His weight was becoming a presence as his breath drew deeper, slower. Sleep had crept up entirely, which made the conversation more of Eiji simply talking to himself out loud.]
no subject
[Well. that was for the best.
With a small sigh, Eiji carefully shifted his body around so he could lower Emi back down to his bed, one arm around his back and the other cradling his head. Even if it felt like he'd accidentally shake the blond awake at any moment, he managed to gently lay him down.
Though... he wasn't entirely sure why, but Eiji lingered there for a moment longer, leaning over the other boy. There was so much about this picture that wasn't right - there was sno much he didn't have the power to fix. He hadn't meant for it to be this way.
Hesitant, urged only by the fact that Emi was unconscious, Eiji's hand hovered over Emi's face indecisively. It was a stupid little sentiment. Even considering it felt like a shameful secret. But this, at least, was one small, simple thing he could set right for the time being.
He let his fingers brush back Emi's frumpled, unstyled bedhead - just a little, and carefully, as not to irritate his injuries - until it resembled his old self a little more.
That done, Eiji rose up to collect the dishes, leaving Emi to his rest.]