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The seizures had faded, the fainting as well, and a couple days after the ball Jeremiah is feeling better even if the unease has not faded in the slightest. His back prickles, the chill rolling in as well, but it's far more preferred than the worry and fear that what he experienced would leave him permanently unwell.

He does, however, have a mental list of those to check in with and this was someone on it. Certainly he had never come by before, they had met most places away from their respective homes aside from when Jeremiah could not truly leave his, but it was not unusual. Jeremiah was even bringing an extra cup of strong black tea.

Double checking that he had the right door, he raised a hand and knocked.

Jeremiah raised an eyebrow. "I assure you that I'm not Miss Craft." There was a wry twitch of his lips. "My hair is certainly not the right shade."

Then he was holding up the extra cup of tea towards Shun. "I thought it was my turn to check in on you. I've already been back to work."

Jeremiah knew how to read a poker face, could pick up on the subtle differences. A neutral expression was never entirely neutral. The eyes were pinched, the lines of the shoulders not as straight-

Not that it was mentioned because one did not mention such things. They waited for them to come out, for it to be part of the discussion.

He stepped inside with a nod, taking a small drink of his own tea because it was nice to be able to enjoy warm tea again.

"It's alright, I get the feeling she drives you up the wall." Which was amusing considering there were so few things that probably could get a deep reaction out of Shun. "As well as can be expected for what happened. Algie is-" he paused for a moment. "We're dealing. Though if anything, the entire affair has proven that most, if not everyone, is clearly not prepared for the reality of the situation."

Jeremiah claimed a spot on the couch and sat down. After taking another drink of his own tea he was setting it down on the coffee table, though his eyes did drift about the apartment while he did so.

One's home said a lot about an individual. Those decorative blades certainly did.

He blinked at the apology, eyes finding focus on Shun once more. "That is not something you should be apologizing for. There is little to be done for preparation for what happened there. The little prophecy we heard gave us little information." Jeremiah paused. "Though I suspect you don't mean the event itself but your actions."

The detective had heard, from more than one source, just what Shun had done during certain parts of the ball.

Jeremiah let out a breath, pulled one in and then looked to Shun. "You cannot do this," he said simply. "Not to yourself. I'm well aware of what happened but-" A hand flicked through the air. "This is the path that will lead you to more failure if you continue the train of thought you're on."

His shoulders rolled and he sat up straighter. This was Jeremiah Mercer, not the detective, not the Detective Lieutenant, but Jeremiah Mercer.

"If you feel a need to apologize, save it and push onwards. I can guarantee you that the doubt you are feeling will do nothing but hinder you further within other ashdown. It will take what ability you have and make it meaningless. Beyond that- This is not a burden you shoulder alone, nor is it something that was your fault or failure." His eyes are intent upon Shun, serious and hard. "And, if you truly feel this way, the only thing you can do is be better."

He is far too familiar with what Shun was dealing with. Far too familiar.

"I don't think you want my exact answer because my exact answer doesn't apply for you but-" Jeremiah shook his head. His fingers were tight around the cup for a moment before he set it down, legs stretching out in front of him before he sat back.

"If I spent my time wondering about what ifs, thinking about what has happened and cannot be undone, I would not be able to move forward at all." Jeremiah looked at Shun, expression softening only slightly. "If I'm weak, I train to become stronger. If I don't know why, I go looking for the answer. I push forward because there are those I will not see fall."

"Being on the forefront means the first to go down, the first to take damage." Jeremiah sighed then, shifting to lean forward. His elbows rested on his thighs briefly while he looked over Shun. Were he anyone else he likely would not pick up on it but he could see it there.

The line of his shoulders, the pinch of his eyes. Barely noticeable but then again ... Jeremiah carried a similar neutral expression for the world and was used to seeing the cracks in it.

"I do not know that you want to catch up to me. I have been stripped of a week's worth of memory that I later got back, a permanent chill to my spine and pain that persists no matter what, and the latest? Seizures. I have been a burden more of late than I have anything else." He shook his head. "So worry about cutting your own path through this and not so much the rest of it. As that is likely going to be what helps the most. Knowing yourself and your own place in this."

Jeremiah straightened up, looking seriously at Shun. "Do you, Kuroda? Have you considered why you are apart of this? Why you persist? What drives you to try an do something?" As those answers? They would likely give him some guidance.

"We are playing with a deck against us, Kuroda, and if you want to continue to do something within it ..." Jeremiah sighed. "You will need to find a reason more than just 'because I cannot sit idly by' or that 'things will change'."

He leaned to pick back up his cup and take another drink of it.

"Duty is not enough," he said a moment later. "... and you are likely to find yourself having to clean up the messes of others with that kind of mindset." The theatre that Shun had mentioned came to mind. "I wish I could offer you more but it is the truth: if you continue down this path you will stretch yourself thinner." Which would lead to eventually being truly overwhelmed and breaking.