Shadow of Your Former Self [P/Shio]

It didn't seem to matter what she said to him, he just found more faults or excuses as to why he was something like a walking plague. He boggled Meilin, was this why she couldn't stop herself from trying to help him. Because he was like a puzzle she wanted to solve? No, she knew that wasn't it. She genuinely wanted Shio to improve, beyond Tatsuya she'd never really met anyone she could compete with. Shio here had given her that someone, but he was content with hiding in the shadows which to be honest Meilin couldn't give two shits about. Her biggest concern was lack of motivation to grow, he was content with becoming stagnant. She may be reading too much into it, but to her it seemed like Shio was just merely waiting to die.

"None the less Shio, if you hadn't helped me, or given me some form of motivation, I wouldn't have been able to reach where I am now, and for that I thank you." She bowed her head slightly to him before looking up out her left eye, "However if you slap me right now, I promise you our last fight will seem like child's play." She stood to her feet and looked at Shio, "It's not a matter of credit or praise Shio, but you helped me, and I feel grateful for that. I am trying to show you my gratitude and you throw it back into my face." She shook her head as she chuckled, "You're so backwards that I just can't figure you out."

It was only a matter of time before she had told him that. She felt now while they were both relatively calm was the best time. Especially after he'd told her his story and she understood him a little better, not that it really helped to clear the mystery that was Shio. "You think by helping people you make them become bad people, so you try to help them by doing nothing and remaining on the sidelines." She paused for a second wondering if she should even continue. So far it seemed like all her words were simply falling upon deaf ears. At least she could hope some of it sank in and he'd think about it later. "Just... before you go saying you forced anyone to do anything bad, simply by being yourself. Just remember everyone has a choice in everything they do Shio. Just like you could've chose to fight back against those people yet you didn't. They also had the choice of doing those horrible things to you, or they could have chose to see you as a goal and push themselves harder. Unfortunately they chose the former. It was also their choice to remain at their current level, just like you are making that choice right now. Though if anything, I'd say you were the one forced into it, not them. Now it's your choice whether or not you're going to continue allowing this to hold you back Shio."

She turned then heading towards his door, she wasn't sure how much more she could help him at this point. He'd told her everything he seemed willing to tell her and them some, considering she had to interrogate him basically for the truth. But from here on in, it was up to Shio. She'd shown him the light, at least she hoped she had, now it was up to him if he was going to follow it or stay within the darkness where these beasts surrounding him would continue to use him as a doormat. "As for a great shinigami, that all comes from here, I believe." Her right thumb was pressed against her chest, over her heart. "It has nothing to do with how strong you are physically or how well you're performing at this job. I believe a great shinigami always give their all despite how they are viewed by others. Whether weak, strong, smart or incompetent. As long as you're willing to put out that effort to help the ones that you said you would protect when you took this job, I think you're a great shinigami. Rank isn't a necessity, though it is only passed out to those that they Seireitai perceives as  great shinigami. So you're a little backwards there." She proceeded to push his door open before turning to look at him once more, "And if by some miracle you listen to me and decide to try harder, you could always turn the promotions if you're satisfied with your current position. As for what I would get from helping you to put out more of an effort... nothing really, this is just what friends are for, right?" She flashed him one more smile before waving and stepping out the door sliding it closed behind her. Whether he followed her or not was up to him, though she did hope he would at least think on their conversation.