yogen | npc contact.2

[ There's that little reflexive jolt again that npckun seems to think nothing of, that happens even though they watch Komaeda's hand approach the entire time and should know when to expect the weight on their head, fingers combed through their hair as it's happened a number of times before. ]

Since when do you do what you're told?

[for his heart alone. subaru certainly isn't going to tell anyone else, just like he's never spoken keigo's name above a whisper when there were others around. he understands the importance of secrets, of people's lowered voices and what it means to get, to give, a piece of themselves, of yourself, to another person. it's something he's been slowly learning how to do himself over the past two years, to trust others and fall back against them instead of shoving everything to the side and putting on a brave face.

or cutting people away, when that didn't work. subaru doesn't want either, to be burned away by the twinkling little star is his arms or to see them put on a fake shine.]

That doesn't sound like nothing. [it's not nothing, it's not.] Is it an important something, or an important someone?

( well, behaving in this case means that after he shuts the door behind him, he finds a chair near opposite or at least diagonal of her across the room and doesn't give the place a cursory glance, despite its newness to him.

instead, once he's settled, he puts aside his transparencies and cushions his head on his arms, watching her. )

To waste your TIME. ( nothing new. actually, ) Just kidding--I...

( ....... )

We had another of those meetings you're ever invited TO, should you choose to grace us with your preSENCE, but I'll say I'm glad you didn't come to this ONE. It was to get people on the same page with regards to things that have occured this school YEAR, since some people "woke up" later than most of US. ( good ideas, except: ) Things turned rather ugLY, and an argument broke out on whether or not we can trust people outside of "our GROUP".

( in essence. and he says it with semi-dryness, though he knows there is something different. that's true.

but none of that is going to really matter to her, and he thinks about it, and closes his eyes. being mad just turned into being done and tired, so natsume sighs. )

...Just let me rest my eyes for a little BIT. I'm not meant to have a starring role like THAT, so it's exhausted ME.

...Why do you do it?

( you think he's going to ignore it after seeing it again, no matter how many times npckun brushes it off... it's visible again, and a detail he keeps noticing. )

You can tell me, unless you'd rather I ask a different question.

[love comes in many forms.........]

You can still call us your students! If all the souls go to the tree you're tending, then we're still in your care no matter what.

[it's fine. kazuki's a kind person, just like natsume said, and the slip shows plenty about him

but go ahead amami]

( worse, but funny )

God, NO. ( they weren't That close. now if it were subaru on the other hand, ) Knowing how might help clear up a few things for me regarding another student HERE.

Edited 2021-10-03 18:31 (UTC)

It was an acciDENT--I fought with a senpai of mine and crushed it underfoot in the proCESS, so I'm making it up to HER.

( or ... trying to. )

...It was my FAULT. It's only right that I help HER.

( hmmmmm never mind hikaru doesn't get a nickname it's okay )

...NoTED. Thank YOU. ( for answering and also attempting to comfort him it's fine. ) ...I'll see you aROUND.

( maybe he can get em sn origami rabbit or s/t in thanks )

The... theory?

( the theory of... swimming? he's full on grinning now — that suits them, actually. )

Yeah, yeah, I'll make sure you know what to expect, 'kay? Nothing to worry about, it'll be fun.

( anyway, this was done this way for a reason... sorry, kamo-kun. but amami does show up at six, as promised — maybe it's more like 6:13, running a little late from packing up the inarizushi he's made to bring over. a shame he hasn't got anything to make it extra cute, but maybe he can ask kamo-kun about that later. at the very least, they should be tasty enough, since inarizushi isn't too complicated.

for now, he's poking his head into the student store with a smile on his face, inviting himself in so he can set himself up at their counter with them and the food he's brought. )

So, what's our plan for today, Kamo-kun?

( yeah... komaeda made rokkun stay the night of the 25th so they could do this early morning, you know... with his jacket back in his possession (rokkun's keys still his, because he's not giving those back), he's pocketed them and his own hands rest inside. the tips of his fingers play against the sharp end of the fragments, but his one hand is drawn to the little pocket tissue of his. he smiles for a brief moment as they make their way to the student shop, there's not much to be said due to their agreement: just accompany him, watch the person that komaeda claims is his sibling, and cast the vote at the end.

he stops in front of the entrance, eyes looking off to the side to peek inside of the room to make sure certain people are inside. )

...Are you ready?

( well, "good morning" probably would have started off the day right, but that's the second best he's got. )

[ How I have to reply twice, okay,

The shopkeeper is up bright and early, but remains wrapped up in the blanket Nene had made for them, little bear hood pulled over their head, it's one of these. They're sitting up on the counter when Amami arrives— not even behind it in their chair, but on top with their legs swinging and hands on their lap, clearly waiting for breakfast. ]

Morning! Let's go to the rooftop! It's still dark outside, but the sun's going to come up real soon, and we can watch it!

[ Meanwhile Rokkun is having bear ptsd, he's had maybe two hours of sleep and none of it restful, and can't understand why they're spying on the shop so early in the morning, besides. ]

There's Rantarou.

[ He sounds grumpy. ]

Are we going to tail them...?

The theory of swimming.

[ This is a matter of life and death, there's no "fun" about learning a survival skill like swimming. They're still nervous about it, though, having always been told to stay away from the river back home and not having anything to compare to when it comes to any large body of water. ]

But okay. I'm trusting you. If you let me swallow pool water, I'm going to be mad at you.

Do what? It's not...

[ They frown a little, touching the top of their head. It's like asking why they breathe or blink— this isn't something they ever consider. ]

I told you it's okay. I'm okay.

Haha, if you say so. I'll do my best not to let it happen.

( it's harmless? kinda gross, yeah, maybe, but still harmless. anyway, he'll make to stand up for now, giving a little stretch. )

Anyway, guess I should give you some time to work on that rose quartz, huh? If it's not ready for tomorrow, that's fine — I'll come by the next day, too. Maybe for lunch.

( since they gave themselves a pretty short deadline, considering their plans. )

[ It's a pretty boring room, all things considered, especially at the end of a meeting day where the blackboard's already been wiped clean and everything is put away. There are plenty of chairs to choose from too, with Maya's school bag hung over the back of the president's seat at the head. It's this seat that she returns to, watching Natsume watch her, but a brief flicker of surprise is apparent on her face when Natsume puts his head down, given how he usually carries himself. ]

...You already know my thoughts about trust.

[ Essentially, trust no one, until they earn the right. Still, for there to be an argument about it, there must have been at least one person who thought they— all the other students in the school— could be trusted. And she's not entirely sure what to feel about that. ]

It sounds as if the dormitory is pretty noisy, but there are more comfortable places to sleep, Sakasaki. There's a bed in the nurse's office specifically for this reason.

...an important something.

[ Maybe involving an important someone or someones but before anything else they need to achieve that something that means the world to them, as they are now. But it's their contract, and nobody else's. ]

But I've got it handled. I'm not worried. You trust me, don't you, Subaru?

...Ah, then it's fine to ask something else?

( he asks, blinking slow as he removes his hand when he sees npckun touch their head again. he doesn't want to be in the way, so he's cautious as he watches, and drops his hand to the side.

i was about to be like wait i have something for them, but that's post coma. now they must carry on with komaeda looking a little defeated because he thinks npckun lies to him. )

Oh, I already know what I'm going to do, so I just need to get the materials to do it. It's just wire and leather.

[ I'm going to keep forgetting so I'll put this here, it's basically wire wrapped around the quartz in the shape of a tree to keep it secure, and then attached to one of these things that I don't know what it's called but I googled "belt loop key holder clip thing" ]

Yeah, of course I do.

[it's instant, not a beat to be found, but subaru doesn't loosen his hold. just idlys rubs circles in their back, biting his cheek.

...]

I just... I mean, if it's hard for you to talk about, then there's something about it that's bad, right? Something you don't like, or you're afraid of... I just don't want you to think you've gotta shoulder stuff on your own, Keigo, when I've got two good ones right here.

[he won't forget how they reacted. he can't]

( god, maybe past komaeda should have made rokkun sleep on the floor. why does he sound like when he says amami's name? pale green eyes look towards rokkun, before watching the shopkeeper from a distance. )

...You act like you're an animal hunting its prey, but if that's how you want to do it.

( he moves out the way from the door, bringing himself to the side so they aren't really seen. )

Hm... I believe learning how to track his hope could be useful to you. ( but this isn't what this is about, and he closes his eyes slightly tired himself. ) We have to hide to do this correctly. Hide and seek, is the best way to go about it.

( how unfortunate, maybe he wanted to tell the shopkeeper hi, but he doesn't want to ruin their day. he's been through enough bad luck lately, so there's a small frown as he thinks about this... )

[ He doesn't quite draw back, but his shoulders do square when Hinata reaches for him. It's just unexpected, as it Hinata's account of what happened. This is what he wanted to hear— did not want to hear, but did want to hear— the emotion and feeling that went into the experience that only happened in parallel to Rokkun's own.

Seeing the tears make his expression soften. Somehow, hearing about his death from an outside perspective... Hinata makes him sound braver than he knows he was, but his brother had cried... of course he would. To see him as he was, to watch his big brother die in front of him, there's no way this is any better than the reality of it all. No matter how nice it is to have somebody who would cry over his death, it isn't worth this. ]

...There was no way I could have survived what happened. I couldn't— [ ... ] I was convinced I had broken my spine. Even if I did survive, and make it back home, I wouldn't have been able to take care of him anymore. What happened sucks, but your version of the story would have been better in the long run.

[ It's only a story. It didn't happen. Don't cry. ]

( "go ahead amami" how is he gonna ask intrusive questions after a little moment like that? amami looks kind of awkward actually, giving subaru a look that roughly translates to: actually, i'd rather not be in the tree/his care again if i can avoid it, but he doesn't say it aloud. didn't really explain his aversion to the tree before, did he?

...

he'll go with this, then: )

So, there's this tree that I have. ( they can talk about his tree instead; he's been meaning to for a while. )

It's a banyan tree, I think — the kind with roots that hang down. You probably know about those, yeah? But it does something a little strange. If you touch it, it tries to kind of hold your finger, and I don't think that'd usually happen with this kind of tree. An underclassman of mine, good with spirits, said that it had "good vibes" too. So I was wondering if you might be willing to give me an opinion on it.

[ npckun day 1: con artist ]

...Yeah. What do you want to know?

npc contact.2

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09/26, npckun & rokkun (1/2)

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