yogen | npc contact.2

[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]

[ oh heck yeah, they go for the egg sandwich, pillowy white bread with smashed hard boiled eggs mixed with mayo because sometimes you need comfort food. ]

Can we see it from here? Before it gets too dark and we have to leave?

[ Subaru do your astrology thing and give them an exact time and date to be brave and go outside at night ]

[september 16th anytime past 9pm /jk]

Sure, why not! I mean, probably better chance today than tomorrow, 'cause we're closer to the peak of it~. That was a couple of days ago... But if we don't see some tonight, just sit out here anytime past 9pm and you'll have the best shot at it.

[... ♪]

But you wanna know a secret, Keigo?

[ god why does september 16th sound like so long ago ]

Hm?

[ Mouth full of egg so they can only nod. They're a great secret keeper, what is it? ]

[IT WAS TWO-THREE DAYS AGO i understand completely

subaru spreads his arms out wide, sandwich clutched safely in hand]

You can wish on any star you see and it'll come true! No matter how dim or bright, if they're in a constellation or all on their own, each star's got that power! That's their "thank you" gift for us keeping them company!

[watching them, learning about them, making up stories about them, sharing them with people we care about — a thank you for all the little things. he grins over at keigo, dropping an arm down to lean back on it again]

All you've gotta do is pick one, make sure you've got it in mind, close your eyes and make your wish. They'll hear you, even if you don't say a word; stars can feel the hearts of people, y'know! ♪

Hm...

[ If that's true, then all the stars up there can feel the way their heart flips nervously, tearing their eyes away from Subaru and looking back up at the sky. You can wish on any star, sure... doesn't mean it'll come true.

...

...

They go ahead and let their eyes slide closed. ]

[... subaru wonders what they're wishing for. to succeed in their whatever their set goal is for the end of the year? to see a shooting star? or... something else, something that hasn't been said but occupies their mind?

he doesn't know, and he won't ask; wishes are between the person who makes them and the stars they look to. if subaru was that "star" that was wished on he'd ask, he'd do his all to make sure it came true, but keigo's face is towards the sparkling blanket up above. so the star they're wishing on is probably up there, one out of the many they can see. but subaru can't be too jealous of the attention they're getting, because they can't see keigo the way he does every chance he gets.

their bright smiles. how they laugh. the way they pitch sales especially hard when they're nervous (just to peddle their wares, keigo'd probably say, but subaru knows it's a good way to break into a conversation, too). how they always ask for food like they never have enough. their penchant for physical affection, and how long they like to hugs to last — how even holding hands seems to do the trick. the quieter side that comes out when talking about things they don't like, serious in a solemn way. the conviction (pitying in some ways) they hold in what they know and believe in, and in what needs to be done, what can't be changed...

... the many things that keigo doesn't know, or hasn't seen, hasn't experienced-- and how they look when they learn something new, experience something for the first time.

the stars up there can't know any of that. but down here, the star known as subaru akehoshi can.

...

subaru closes his eyes, too.]

[ ...

He feels a bump against his shoulder, somebody warm leaning against his arm because they need two hands to hold and eat their sandwich, quiet thoughtful chews like they've got too many thoughts in their head.

... ]

I hope it comes true. I'd come up here every night with you until it does.

[subaru's eyes almost open at the sudden thereness of keigo, but he's not done with his wish. it's hard to find just one thing to think about, so he's frankensteining one together with lots of run-on sentences...]

So it's that important of a wish, huh? [a man could die of curiosity.] I don't mind coming up here with you until it does, though~! I love spending time with you!

[it's fun and warm and lets him forget for a little bit that people around him are missing pieces and he can't do anything to stop it, that there's very much a tension as graduation looms ever closer for third years like himself, the possibility of death if one isn't careful...

and because he likes talking to keigo, too.]

I do too.

[ It's not a wish that can be fulfilled so easily, though, they think. That sort of impossible wish is the only sort they know to make on the stars; small wishes, reachable wishes, those are things they grab for themselves without putting their hopes in the sky.

... ]

Do you think it counts if you wish on the stars during the day? They're still there.

[ And it's bright out. The sun is right there. It should count and they wouldn't have to wander around after dark. ]

[... now there's a question.

subaru's quiet, tilting his head against theirs, and opens his eyes, done with his wish. he'd discarded the monster of one it'd become, and had decided on something simple. something that he wished for every time he looked up at the stars, and worked towards fulfilling himself.]

They are still there. And the sun's a star too, so if you can't remember where they were once they're gone you can make a wish on our warm neighbor... so I'm gonna say yes. ♪

[that way, they can wish anytime they want to...!]

Oh, good!

[ They're never going outside at night without supervision again. Good good good. ]

What, so you're throwing away our trysts beneath the night sky so easily now~? I'm hurt, I thought we were gonna stargaze together 'til our wishes came true~.

[nudge nudge... so cruel, so mean... and after making saying that promise-adjacent line...]

How're you gonna fix my lonely heart, huh? Keigo~. ♪

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