yogen | npc contact.2

No... that's not what I'm asking.

( to live is asking too much of him, and it's unfortunate, but maybe he should be more direct. )

You know this school is... different, and you understand the weak points... you can give me something to play around with, can't you?

( of course, hearing the thing about therapy makes him stop, he reaches out with his organic hand, and he touches the area of rokkun's neck. it's probably still sensitive, so he presses just a bit... )

Come with me to my locker... you don't have the money to fix that, do you? You can take this as a chance to leave me, doesn't it sound exciting?

[she has to agree, and nods even though neither of them can see it. companionship did not make anyone weak - it made them stronger, to know they could fall and that someone would be there to help them get up again. no one is adrift on their own.

and yet, perhaps it's overreaching, but-]

Do you always garden alone?

[the plants may be wonderful in certain ways, but they cannot talk back.]

Edited 2021-09-24 19:54 (UTC)

[ And he was mad that they were scared?? The second Rokuro stops glaring, they puff up in indignation, still staring at their shoes. ]

Does he see you? [ Don't talk to them like this and then offer something! It's too confusing! Especially not about someone they think is a friend...] He makes me happy, scary guy. So it's fine.

[ Crona doesn't have expectations, which makes it pretty easy to get along with people but when you're just confusing, they don't know what to do! ]

I won't refuse anything...but I don't know what you want from me. [ They turn away from him to go towards the corner. Vending machines...well stopping by them before the courtyard picnic makes sense. ] Komeaaada! Are you hiding!? Don't hide, chasing you twice isn't very nice.

Edited 2021-09-24 20:07 (UTC)

( ori i assure you if this was a middle school? there would have been even more deaths by now. we got off easy thank you for this mercy.

but kazuki's been up front with her on... a lot of things, answering in depth and gently. so if that's all he's willing to say on the matter for now...

nene sighs, finally rubbing at her eyes with the back of her hands. )

... Can... Can I stay here for a little bit?

( the 'with you' is unspoken- she's not ready to face the others yet. she told shin that he was just as alive as she was- told lucifer and inaba and noah and everyone else they would get out alive, get home, find new homes, find places to be and live and love. how is she supposed to look at them now? )

...Just when I wondered what you'd come out with, there's a weird one right off the bat. Do you offer these to your students? Statistically speaking, I think they're more inclined to be unsettled than comforted, if so.

[ But Shiraishi himself doesn't seem so, a twinkle of amusement still at the corners of his eyes as they narrow. Unfortunately, they have the same sitting problem, I'm crying, so he ignores all the chairs and just walks over towards the desk, leaning closer over the bowl. Once he's there, he picks up a single corn nut between two fingers, lifting it up like an item to be inspected first.

Kind of the human equivalent of a cat batting testily with its paw when it finds something new, but as for whether there's any malice intended, jury's still out on that one. It might be Shiraishi just acts like that, not really mindful of causing offense. ]

Do you think so?

[ Since he brought it up, then yeah, probably. But the counselor...

Either way, he waits for Shiraishi to pick up a corn nut for inspection before picking one out for himself, holding it at the very tip of his fingers so he doesn't get the seasoning everywhere, and pops it in his mouth, watching Shiraishi closely.

Unsettled or comforted, that doesn't matter. The offer always invokes curiosity, and people's reactions are always curious. ]

Statistically speaking, those students who visit my office are difficult to unsettle.

Normally, I do. But, more and more, students have been up at night to stop by and chat. Others approach with interest in gardening. I wish more of you would be asleep this late at night.

[ Presumably people leave by midnight. He wouldn't be able to tell. ]

[ This is not how it works, Maya narrowing her eyes seems to say, but since he gave permission for a loose answer: ]

It includes private terms and conditions agreed upon between myself and the other party. Do you doubt my ability to negotiate reasonable terms, Akehoshi?

What? No, I...

[ Even if his tone is playful, npckun's expression crumples a little, because the very very last thing they ever want to do is make somebody upset, least of all somebody important to them. Worrying about being in the wrong, not being enough, those are the sorts of insecurities that eat away at a person, and they bite at their bottom lip a little, trying to think hard on what they can do to salvage this.

Maybe they can give him a rock... Bribe Subaru's happiness back with a rock. It could work.

... ]

[ Stares into the sky about middle school... oh yeah, there would've been bloodshed day one. ]

You may stay as long as you want; you need not ask me permision. But it would be best if you turned in for the night, when it gets too late, or too cold. I would not be able to do much for you, then.

[ And they're very tempted to never give this half back, but stealing is wrong, or something. Maybe they can make Noah buy his hoodie back. It's not stealing when the other person gets it back in the end.

... ]

Why isn't he happy?

[ As long as they get their brother back... yeah, they think so. They'll be happy, at least, like what very little they remember of the time when he was still in their life. The flipside, though... ... They can only hope. ]

What should we do...? Hm...

[ ... ]

Group hug!

[subaru waits for a comeback, just like he'd teased them back on the rooftop, but when it doesn't come and the slightly upset expression stays as is he hums softly and plays with their hand, then lets that go for a second to cup keigo's face and pull at their cheeks. like mochi.]

Kei~go. [...] Was that too far? You know I'm just playing around, don't you? I promise, I'm not upset or anything like that.

[because subaru doesn't like hurting people who're important to him either; even when he throws hands (pos) with his friends in trickstar, it's never because he's being mean on purpose or dislikes them, it's because they can handle it and that's just how their relationship is. he'd never do that with hajime, for example.]

I'm actually really, super super happy that you wanted to see the stars again, even without me! No, especially! 'Cause you don't like the dark either, and I know how dark it get up there. You're really brave, Keigo~.

( shoutout to my middle school which had bars on some of the windows, but also a ddr machine. )

... Okay.

( there's still things she wants to do, say- sorry for drawing back when she knew that hanako wanted to do, show him how the seeds he's given her are coming along... but she's tired, her heart is heavy in her chest and her stomach feels heavier, her legs weak. when the chill of the night sets in further, she does get up, barely dusting the dirt off of herself... but instead of going to the dorms, she heads to the school.

she's not the only one tied to her fate, after all. )

Are they? If so, then maybe I should have said put off.

[ The firm counter-argument seems something he can take in stride too, and besides, he's got the corn nut to deal with for now. He presses it easily past his lips, and the counselor may have chosen to keep his hand clean from the start but Shiraishi's the type who's just gonna lick the tips of his fingers to get said seasoning off, regardless of manners. It's fine.

He chews it without protest though, with no trace of his thoughts through the process, then hums when he's done. ]

Yup, it really is an outlier. When people come to an office like this, the trend wold be to expect some manner of normalcy, such as... let's see, maybe candy? Chocolate? A pretzel or cracker... But you're breaking them away from that norm, and in the process, from the illusion of safety provided by conforming to a standard.

[ Although don't ask him, personally he finds unsettling people a lot more satisfying than keeping them in their comfort zone in the first place. ]

[ There are so many students around here for Komaeda to play with—-

but it's his neck that Komaeda touches, that makes him swallow at the pressure even though it hurts more when his adam's apple moves under Komaeda's fingers. ]

No...? I don't want to leave you. I would never...

( so, not long after she's cried her heart out for a blind man and the loss of her life, instead of going back to the dorms- maybe going to bed and waiting for midnight to cry more, because how is she supposed to sleep after that?- nene instead goes into the school, up the stairs, to the bathroom hanako's claimed for himself. origami flowers are still set up as decoration...

maybe the redness of her eyes or the lingering dirt on her legs and hands will alarm hanako. ... no, it definitely will. but before he can work himself up too much, nene forces herself to speak, voice soft and almost hoarse. )

Hanako-kun...? I... ... I learned why the students are all here tonight. ... You're not going to like it.

...There are some people who wish to be a protagonist.

( that probably doesn't make sense, but noah wants to be able to save everyone. having his hope shaken because he killed hyde wore down on him, and komaeda sighs at the thought. )

It seems killing people makes others sensitive... Don't you be like that, okay?

...Hm.

( a group hug is simple enough, at this point he doesn't even know why he asked. he looks down at npckun, and he makes a mental note to remember that should be the first thing they do when they're all together.

... )

I remember now, guess what...

Depends on your definition of reasonable, Prez~. Normally I'd say you're as good as sparkling gold, 'cause I honestly trust you 100% in pretty much anything you do, but even I know that compromise can't cover everyone.

[it never does. the very system that was supposed to bring new units into the spotlight, that would reward the hard working and lessen the amount of people simply sliding by, ended up hurting them the most. all because the compromise was allowing them to be "acceptable loss" where necessary.]

I know we're different from a lot of the students here, and it's not 'cause we make an effort to. I like chatting with everyone, y'know? Whether they're able to do the things we can do or not. So when you ask me to make sure everyone graduates, when you say every third-year has the possibility to, shouldn't I ask about anything that could get in the way?

[he doesn't know what the contract includes even in the loosest sense, whether it has anything to do with the current or new or hidden or whatever rules to follow, what maya stands to lose as president if she should fail to hold up her end of the bargain or what the secondary party (the school?) does themselves... but he does trust her, those words are genuine and true, and honestly--]

I wouldn't be asking so much of you if I didn't trust you.

[he'd just figure out a way to find out on his own.]

[ Nope, Komaeda doesn't see him at all. He doesn't even know what he wants here... not much to do with Crona in the first place, so he's content to let Crona run up ahead of him. By the time Rokkun gets there, hopefully Komaeda would have already made his purchases and they can get a move on. Maybe buy a ramune so he can smash the bottle neck after and collect the marble. ]

( there are, many of them, but who will dismantle the school?

color komaeda curious as he touches the sensitive area, recalls a time where the other didn't have these... nicks in his appearance. they're not meant to set him back, but he wonders what life would've been for him had komaeda not shown any sort of...

... )

You want your strength back, don't you? It must be horrible since we're suffering in purgatory already, and you can't even enjoy yourself... I'll permit you to leave me... just this once.

( only one time )

( bzzt. wrong answer; his attempted smile falters at that. )

You can't get by on just apple juice, y'know. It's...

( he pauses. glances over to the other students who are browsing but lets be real 90% of the time people who are browsing are just doing that and not planning to buy anything at these hugely inflated prices, and sighs. but looking back to kamo-kun, he'll try to get that smile in place again anyway, even if he looks a bit apologetic. )

I know it's business hours, but how much would it cost to steal you away for a bit? I wanna make sure you're doing okay.

[ A group 48 minute hug...... ]

What?

Even though it would mean you were lonelier?

[fretting about their health is one thing, wanting to be alone another, but the way he speaks...]

npc contact.2

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hanako, directly after her talk with kazuki

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