yogen | npc contact.2

["i might answer" he's persistent don't think he won't get what he wants out of you!!!!]

You'll probably answer~! It's not about you, just something you might recognize!

[hopefully. or not hopefully. he doesn't know, but he's swinging their hands...]

Ah— but we definitely can't stay out toooo long... Not as long as I wanna anyway, since it gets all quiet. [...] It toootally sucks, huh?

[ They're very practiced in not answering questions, we'll see who folds first

though maybe it'll be npc-kun, curious about what sort of question Subaru has for them when it's not about them. Something they'd recognize? It's not like they're particularly knowledgeable in any one thing in particular, so they can't even imagine. ]

Oh... I don't know. I try to fall asleep before it gets too dark or too quiet. Then it'll be morning again.

[ Silence after midnight? There's never anybody around anyways, so it's all the same to them. ]

Well, I can tell you right now that it's awful... It's so quiet, it's like you can't even hear yourself breathe.

[no matter how hard you yell, there's not a single bit of sound. subaru's grip tightens a bit.]

... Like you're suffocating. [ugh. he has very strong feelings about it and the feeling is Anxiety] It's suuuuuuper bad and I'm definitely gonna have you back before then. Promise.

[cause he doesn't want them to experience it...]

[ Everything about nighttime just gets worse and worse... how much time do they even have before then...

...

They're the one to swing their hands, this time. ]

It'll be okay. If it gets too quiet, focus on me instead.

[ It's what they do when they're alone, quiet with nothing but their thoughts— the only thing to do then is find something to distract themselves with. Maybe go to sleep, so tomorrow comes quicker. ]

[well........ maybe a few hours...... since it's heading into fall, a few hours......

keigo really is a kind person though. at least to him... if they weren't like, locking fingers before in their handholding they are now, because— because!]

Can I practice now? I have a pre~tty hard time focusing on things, Keigo, so I wanna know what's the best thing that'll distract me about you. ♪

[he doesn't need to practice for it he just wants to see what happens... and if keigo's okay with him calling them that in a more regular way, since they're friends and alone]

[ The best thing about them... In all honesty, for all the "I'm the best!!" they like to claim, they can't think of anything off the top of their head. Maybe they should learn how to do magic tricks or something...

... ]

You said you like my smile, right? Then I'll smile for you!

[look, fake it til you make it is a valid strategy in life]

Oooh, a seeing a shining, sparkling star up close and personal! How could I resist that~? Your smile's one of my favorites in the whooooole school!

[........]

Hey, hey! Truth or dare?

[? why now. what happened to practicing]

[ ? yea, what happened to practicing ]

Truth.

[ They glance over at him with an implied "why?" when he knows that's what they'll choose, and it's not like they have to play the game to answer questions, especially when they don't feel particularly honor bound to the truth aspect of the game in the first place. ]

What do you like about me~?

[so he can figure out what to do to distract when they find it too quiet, too. because he's curious since he already spilled his own favorite thing of theirs. subaru likes them, and he wants to be spoiled by them, too, in more than just physical contact and offers of company]

[ They give a little laugh of surprise at first, because what a self-indulgent question. But it's not like they've never asked too, and they fall quiet, considering.

...

...

... ]

I like that you come to see me, that you want to be with me, and that it's comfortable when I'm with you. I like that you bring me food, and show me new things, and that you work hard advertising for me when most people wouldn't take it seriously. I like that you're easy to talk to, and that you listen, and... I like looking forward to seeing you every day.

[ None of it is really something to be focused on, but it is what it is. ]

[the quiet consideration rubs at his nerves a little (he'd never put true thought into it, about how maybe they didn't like anything about him the way he did them) but when keigo begins to talk, to list off everything they like about him--

it's nothing concrete in the same sense as what keigo gave him, it's more abstract and a sense of Presence, of company and expectation, but every word makes his chest warm and sparkling, almost like there's fireworks ready to be set off where his heart is

that nervous tension, that excitement, the anticipation. subaru isn't unfamiliar to it necessarily, it isn't too different than how he feels before shows, but boy. booooy, is he feeling a bit warmer than then!]

... Jeez, how am I supposed to distract you when it's too quiet with that? [that's just his embarrassment talking though, a note of laughter in his teasing tone] But, uh--

[he forgot he can't take it as well as he can dish it. subaru's sheepish and grinning like an idiot if he had his hoodie he'd be wanting to hide in it but unfortunately he can not. what can he even say]

Thanks, Keigo~. ♪ As long as you want me around, I'll always be there. Promise!

[ He doesn't have to say anything, because npc-kun grins like yesss they've chosen the right words!! fully aware that their silence makes people nervous sometimes but that's not something they can help. Sometimes you need a little extra time to buffer. ]

You can distract me by being there! And bringing me food and showing me stars!

[ Which they're very much looking forward to, if only because they're hungry. ]

[well

good, because they've reached the point where subaru's realizing that on This side of the school they have to go down a creepy fire-burned hallway (he's a fan of it, not gonna lie, it's a perfect test of courage challenge area) and the other option is like

climbing out a window past the clocktower. it puts an odd pause in his next step, and then he looks over at keigo.]

Hey, you trust me, right?

[.......... like to some extent, right? because they're friends?

don't trust him not to tickle you. but like, general trust]

[ Their hands tug when Subaru pauses, and they look over at him.

... ]

That's the sort of question somebody asks right before they're going to suggest something stupid.

[ It's not a no. ]

Oh-ho-ho! Not today, Keigo! I'm genuinely asking!

[because it's gonna be easier with his box of food one way !]

If you do, close your eyes. ☆ It'll just be for a short while, 'kay?

[... with a reassuring squeeze of their hand. he doesn't know why he doesn't want keigo to see the remains of this side of the fourth floor; it's not like they're a student, it's not like they would know anything about... whatever... happened up there, but. subaru just doesn't want them to.]

[ Hmmmmmmmmmmms

but okay. Because Subaru had closed his eyes when npc-kun had asked him to, so this isn't much different. They close their eyes and place their free hand over their eyes too, as extra security. ]

If you lead me into a wall, I'm going to be mad. And if there's stairs, you have to go slow.

I know, I know~! I'll be careful, promise!

[even if leading them into a wall would be funny. he doesn't want them to be mad at him... they're trusting him so, like a good seeing eye dog, he tugs them close and carefully leads them to the fourth floor door, remembering the coin he'd found up here and the door he could no longer pass through once upon a time.

it really is a little eerie up here at night. totally perfect for a test of courage, someday, and subaru will lead them along with a hum to fill the quiet... to the end of the hall with the better door to the rooftop is.

(he'll be careful going up those stairs too, by the way, but i didn't want to push too far along too fast)]

[ Their steps are slow and cautious, feeling the ground out with their toe before putting their weight forward into the step, so it really is... tedious...

Their hand squeezes Subaru's reflexively when they enter the fourth floor hallway, even though all the gorintos have been pushed to the side and there's nothing in their path. It's dusty, and empty enough without the walls that Subaru's humming that they're focusing on starts to reverb.

...

...

...

They keep their hand over their eyes, though, waiting for Subaru to say they can open their eyes again, even if it's not until the cold night air hits their face. ]

[it feels like forever until they finally reach the door to the roof, in subaru's opinion, and he carefully opens it with his arm cradling the food; the air feels great on his face and he sighs against it, waiting until the sharp click of the door before he speaks up]

'Kay, lift your head up and open your eyes!

[because, as subaru promised, it's very much a clear night; the cold air sharpens the stars high in the sky, twinkling brilliantly against the dark backdrop, and subaru'll let go of keigo's hand so he can set out their little picnic futher from the door. sandwiches... appley juice... next time he'll have to bring hot cocoa instead, but he's glad he didn't this time......]

[ Tilting their chin up, they let their hand drop and eyes open and—-

can't help but stare, for the blanket of stars over their heads, no trees or roofs or anything to obscure them. Having their eyes closed all the way up here makes it so much easier for the stars to stand out, compared to if they'd gone at it alone with a flashlight clutched in their hands and focusing most on what bright spot on the ground they can illuminate.

Light, warmth, security of a roof over their head, that's the sort of thing that makes them comfortable, so they'd never thought they'd stand out here in the open, in the darkness and the cold, and stare up at the night sky like they've never seen it before. ]

[subaru glances up, though he can't see much from his spot laying things out; the moonlight helps a little when he stands, grin widening when they just look with their head turned up, and he steps back over to take their hand--]

The stars're always gonna be there, [in rain and shine, night or day,] but us being able to talk isn't. Sit, sit! They're joining us too in their own way~.

[keigo can keep looking as long as they want though, subaru doesn't mind getting them sat down... he's happy, honestly; the stars are something he wants to share with everyone he likes even a little bit -- they hold a lot of importance to him, even outside of his sparkling name.

it was under a star-studded sky that he met hokuto, after all. that trickstar first came together in all but name. it was clear and bright like this when they first performed together too, as a thrown together unit in their first year -- the group that would become so important to him, that would become something that sparkled and shined and glittered without compare

being able to share that with keigo is nice]

... Pretty, huh? ☆

Yeah!

[ They oblige by sitting down, but then proceeds to flop over onto their back so they can keep staring up at the sky. Can't eat like this, but it's okay, food will be there but the stars— or whenever it gets quiet, they suppose, they and Subaru have to go back and they can't really see the sky from the little window in their shop.

... ]

Have you ever wished on a meteor?

[pfft. subaru leans back on his hands, munching on a sandwich.]

Y'mean a shooting star? Yeah, of course! They're really quick though. Haven't you?

[genuine question, not acting like it's something everyone should've done in their life. some people don't look, or even believe in it]

[ looks off to the side trying to remember the difference between a meteor and a shooting star and a comet and an asteroid, but this isn't their area of expertise

so they sit up instead, reaching for a sandwich themselves and lifting the top slice of bread a little to see what's inside ]

I've never seen one before.

[me looking up sandwich combinations

i found a lot of fancy stuff. why do people make their picnics so fancy. there's pork cutlet, cucumber, and egg dealer's choice]

Hm~. They're not that common... You see 'em a lot during meteor showers and all, of course, but sometimes there'll be a few rare ones out of season... Thoooough,

[and he leans closer with a grin, as if sharing a secret,]

September's a great month for them, so we're in luck. ☆ The Perseids go on pretty much all month!

[the peak is on the 9th so they'd be a little late for that viewing but,

seeing a shooting star isn't out of the question, by anime standards]

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this kids got me down bad ori

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