...S-- sorry. [he mutters it, sounding wholly embarrassed even if he doesn't colour much. he's still focused on trying to find the right way to fix his social faux-pas.] I didn't mean to... it's just...
[this would probably work better if he wasn't staring at the table. eye contact still unnerves him a little, especially in a tense moment like this, but Nageki can't help thinking Hiyoko would definitely disapprove if she saw him right now. he's pretty sure any of his friends, especially Kaworu, would disapprove. even though, that doesn't mean Nageki should have to conform to their expectations, they are a lot better at this than he is, so maybe he should make a better attempt by looking the other boy in the eye.
looking at him does make Nageki feel a little bit guiltier. whether it's mean of him or not, he can't help privately thinking that it's easy to see for himself what Kaworu meant by Shinji being a boy with a miserable and lonely heart. Shinji's tired and saddened demeanor probably doesn't fare any worse than his own, though, so Nageki knows he would never say it. in many ways, Shinji isn't at all what Nageki was expecting to see in someone he's quite sure Kaworu is in love with -- but Kaworu is best friends with Nageki, and reminding himself of that certainly does wonders to put his judgement back into the proper perspective. Shinji being... like this, really shouldn't surprise him at all.
he fumbles for words during a pause just long enough to be completely uncouth in Nageki's mind, and when he does finally manage to say something it's not nearly worth the wait.]
The book. [he finishes lamely, entirely aware that Shinji probably has no idea what he means at all if Kaworu's never spoken about him -- and according to Kaworu, he hasn't. Nageki doesn't have any obligation to explain, but he doesn't want this meeting to be any more awkward than Nageki already tends to feel while socializing this way. coming out and saying "I'm a sentient bird and that book is really gross to me and I am offended on behalf of my quail friend" in a way that doesn't sound half as ridiculous might be even harder than just shutting up, though...]
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[this would probably work better if he wasn't staring at the table. eye contact still unnerves him a little, especially in a tense moment like this, but Nageki can't help thinking Hiyoko would definitely disapprove if she saw him right now. he's pretty sure any of his friends, especially Kaworu, would disapprove. even though, that doesn't mean Nageki should have to conform to their expectations, they are a lot better at this than he is, so maybe he should make a better attempt by looking the other boy in the eye.
looking at him does make Nageki feel a little bit guiltier. whether it's mean of him or not, he can't help privately thinking that it's easy to see for himself what Kaworu meant by Shinji being a boy with a miserable and lonely heart. Shinji's tired and saddened demeanor probably doesn't fare any worse than his own, though, so Nageki knows he would never say it. in many ways, Shinji isn't at all what Nageki was expecting to see in someone he's quite sure Kaworu is in love with -- but Kaworu is best friends with Nageki, and reminding himself of that certainly does wonders to put his judgement back into the proper perspective. Shinji being... like this, really shouldn't surprise him at all.
he fumbles for words during a pause just long enough to be completely uncouth in Nageki's mind, and when he does finally manage to say something it's not nearly worth the wait.]
The book. [he finishes lamely, entirely aware that Shinji probably has no idea what he means at all if Kaworu's never spoken about him -- and according to Kaworu, he hasn't. Nageki doesn't have any obligation to explain, but he doesn't want this meeting to be any more awkward than Nageki already tends to feel while socializing this way. coming out and saying "I'm a sentient bird and that book is really gross to me and I am offended on behalf of my quail friend" in a way that doesn't sound half as ridiculous might be even harder than just shutting up, though...]