yogen | npc contact.2

[ohhhhh ur taste is peak ori]

Mm...~ Then...

[... he leans against them, thinking. what sort of things did his mom and dad dance to? sing together? lift him high like he was part of the sky itself? he'd love to sing one of his dad's songs, but wouldn't it be depressing if he offered one of those and nothing registered?

well, not that they would after a point in history anyway. but that's about, if a little less, than a decade into the future.]

Mariya Takeuchi's a pretty big name, ring any bells to you?

[she got a resurgence of fans in 2010 which is the second reason she sticks out to him...☆ we do stan an iconic queen]

Nope!

[ please, they grew up in the middle of a forest or something, ]

I know stuff like... hm... Toryanse, and Kagome Kagome, and Teru Teru Bozu!

[ children's songs, you know, like the sort an older sibling would teach a younger one and then they're gone so you proceed to sing to yourself that and nothing else ]

[oh my god... child... when i get the chance to give u some grown up music... aira will let subaru borrow the cd he's giving him i'm sure and then keigo can become a trickstar stan too]

Man, I haven't sung those in ages~! Let's do it! Gimme your hands, we'll do... Furusato.

[it's another common one, though a little more sentimental than the nursery rhymes it's still very much taught... put your sandwich down friend he's demanding hands, he's even moving to sit more in front of keigo!!!!!!]

[ How are they supposed to eat if Subaru has their hands... There's the brief thought of stuffing the rest of it in their mouth and squirrel it away, but they can't sing like that, so, mm... ]

Okay, okay!

[ sets their sandwich aside, the things they do for Subaru

But in taking Subaru's hands, they make to stand up. ]

[sacrificing sandwiches for singing, truly noteworthy!!!!

subaru's got half a thought of making them pull him up the way they'd made him do the same back in the study hall, but the excitement of singing with someone wins out and he stands too, pulling keigo away from their little picnic area.

it's not close to the edge, so there's no worries there, just away so it doesn't feel so crowded by their feet. subaru'll keep holding their hands too, squeezing them excitedly.]

I'll start, you join in. [...] Ready? ♪

[because when they are, he'll start off, soft and sweet and yearning for a home he hasn't seen in a lot longer than just the few months he's been here... and yet smiling all the same, because that's what an idol does.]

[ sighs at how cute this song is... It's not a song to stand and dance to, but it's a song that makes them close their eyes, stand a little closer to Subaru, imagining home...

the forest they lived in, the sound of the river when the trees are still, the smell of warm grass, the shadow of a brother they chased after, a sister's voice, the embrace of a father that never lasts long enough—-

their voice drops for a moment, at the mention of parents, but they pick it back up after because what they would give to return home, to return with everyone, that sort of stupid stupid stupid impossible dream they still hold in their heart. ]

[subaru notices the drop, but he can't say anything; his own had wavered, stupidly, for the hugs he always had from his mom, for the father he'd lost young but not young enough to not know what it wasn't like to have him...

but they share the dream part, too, the strength of their voices melding together for a want to return home, and in subaru's case especially to return to a simpler time when it was just him, his mom, his dad, and daikichi singing together whenever his dad'd been able to escape work and come home for a bit, to his family hidden from the public eye.

once the notes die off, he slumps into hugging keigo instead of just holding their hands, humming contentedly. yeah, he missed singing with someone, he learns this every time he gets the chance... maybe he should encourage natsume and aira to join him more often.

"kind of a depressing song to teach a bunch of kids, huh?" he maybe wants to say.

"maybe i should've picked something else~" with a laugh...?

"hey," whispered under the ever-watching, ever-listening stars, "who were you singing for?"

subaru doesn't say any of them, just squeezes tighter and, like keigo had told him to do before, lets the warmth of another erode at the loneliness ebbing at the shores of his heart. he'll always, always welcome that, he doesn't mind showing that "unsightly" part of himself as some people might call it, because subaru hates being lonely and he'll do anything to chase it off.]

Edited (adds an important italic) 2021-09-21 17:29 (UTC)

[ It's a cute song if they don't think too hard about the lyrics, warm and nostalgic and simple and sometimes that's all you need, they think to themselves as they catch Subaru in their arms and lean back into them so the two of them can prop each other up. Eyes slide closed again, hands finding the back of Subaru's shirt, the hum beside his ear. This sort of darkness isn't so bad.

... ]

You're right: you sound good without music too.

Told you so~. [the immediate, chipper response.] You're a good singer too, Keigo, I love your voice.

[it's the voice of a friend, and while it's not polished how he's used to his fellow idols being it reminds him a little of hajime's before he really got practice in. a pitch difference, of course, but... it's nice and clear.]

Whenever you wanna hear a song, I know a ton of 'em. Songs like this, songs you've never heard before, songs that don't even exist yet. I'll sing anything you want, 'cause I love it and I love you~.

[ There's a grin at the compliment that gets brighter at the offer to learn more songs, but—- it's a smile that falters at "I love you," one that doesn't know how to look as they feel their ears grow hot, a part of their mind going "as a friend, he means as a friend" while another part (that sounds suspiciously like their sister) goes "That's a given! Everybody should love you! You're awesome! The best!" like a mantra to hold onto while the very last part of them...

...

... ]

Thanks. [ a quiet voice, despite the smile they're trying so hard to keep on their face so they don't cry, why do they feel like crying... ]

I love you too.

[subaru's gonna hug them tighter, burrowing his face against them with a happy sound. he loves loving people, he loves being loved, hearing it makes him so happy he could just--

well he will at least pick keigo as much off the ground as he can to swing them around in his arms ☆ and then settle back down again, grin bright and close like this, because it's nice and bursts fireworks in his chest again.

... maybe he should think a little bit about why it's different than when nene tells him it but ☆ let's not right now ☆]

Hey, hey, say that again~. I wanna see something~.

[ There's a little noise of surprise when they find their feet suddenly off the ground, but they can't even be upset about it because, like Subaru is so good at doing, he brings them back to the present and everything else falls away.

...

...? ]

I love you?

[ Do not perceive... maybe their face is a little red but it's dark outside and maybe this is the only time in their life they can be grateful for that fact. ]

[yeah

yeah, yeah, he likes it he really likes the way they--]

I love you too, Keigo!

[subaru wishes it wasn't dark. he wishes he had his quartz, or the sky was a little brighter, or even that he has night vision the way an animal does so he could see the look on keigo's face when they say it. it's something precious and sparkling, he thinks.

... but he fumbles a second for a reason to his asking and laughs, letting his arms fall to just holding keigo's hands again if the other lets him. he doesn't mind long hugs, keigo knows this, but his hands are a little antsy.

maybe he's a little happy about the darkness after all, he doesn't know what his face is like but it's definitely warmer against the chilly air.]

Now we've both said it~. Both ways too~. It's important.

[... for some reason]

[ In the dark, Subaru can't see the little frown on their face, they way their lips twist, like they're trying very hard not to—- but the laugh escapes anyways, a sound the darkness cannot hide, nor their shaking hands in Subaru's. ]

That's twice now, you know? We've both said it twice!

[ It's so important they both needed to say it twice?? makes no sense ]

Yeah, yeah! We have! Ahahaha!

[and he'd like to say it a dozen more times, and he will a day at a time, because there's no way subaru isn't leaving shop now without a cheeky little "love you~" at the door. just to remind keigo, whether they think it's just friends or anything else, he does love them and love itself is the important part of it all]

You're so cute, Keigo! I always feel happy around you, but I think this is the happiest I've felt for months now!

[because that's what it's been since he "woke", its been months and it hurts a little to remember that. but keigo eases the pain, someone he likes looking forward to seeing too.

subaru squeezes their shaking hands, unable to keep the grin off his face or out of his voice]

Man~, it really feels nice, huh?

[ Nice, yeah, if that's how you'd describe the anxious fluttery feeling in their chest at being called cute and that they make somebody this happy— like it's different when self-proclaimed versus hearing it, because one they don't believe and the other they want to. ]

...Yeah. I'm glad.

[ That he feels that way. Maybe just in general. Glad and worried and wary and confused... but also warm, both inside and out. ]

Thanks for bringing me out here. I think... I'll be able to sleep well tonight.

[ Because they have a 10pm bedtime and with everything that's happened— not a lot has happened? really not that much, they haven't even gotten their fill of the stars yet— but they're exhausted anyways. The good sort of exhausted where you've let so much tension go, you feel like you're walking on air. ]

Good!

[it's a word that's quick, that's out like a breath, and subaru hasn't had his fill of keigo much less the stars but he gets it, he does, he sort of feelings like he needs to run the grass outside the track with all the undue Wakeful Energy he has right now, something that's so happy and excited but nervous at the same time, he's choosing not to think too hard on it right now but later is later--]

I'll take you up here as many times as you like, no matter the day or hour! You've got a great view of them from the skylights in my room too, so when we have a sleepover I'll make sure our castle, [because he hasn't forget his promise,] has one too. Give me any wish and I'll grant it.

[because he's a star and he's running hot on the high of adorable affection, and clearly it's all star stuff that helps keigo sleep and not anything he said or did besides the base,]

I promise.

[maybe he promises too easily. too flippantly. but he means it every time, and he always trys to grant what's asked of him]

[ There are... a lot of wishes they hold in their heart. Stupid, impossible wishes they have no real expectation of getting granted, ones they wouldn't wish upon the stars for, nor bother another person with. It's still nice, though, having somebody willing to set aside that time and effort for them without the veneer of a business contract.

... ]

Then, next time, come get me earlier. So we can finish eating, and still have plenty of time.

[ So they can spend more time, but also, you know, food. And also... yeah.

Anyways. Here I am uploading icons I will never ever use again. ]

[you're mistaken, ori, i intend to have you use them again. they're too cute and i'm too touched you had to upload new ones!!

anyway, subaru'll squeeze their hands and nod at that, drawing them back to the food. they can have their last sandwich on the way back, he figures, and... subaru'll probably stick the leftovers in the cooking club fridge with a note not to touch them so he can swing them by tomorrow morning and keigo can have them all day tomorrow too... yeah that sounds like a plan]

No problem~. Don't get mad if I start stealing you away during business hours though~☆

[teasing, because he really might since they never said how much earlier ♪]

[ Muffled, with their mouth full of egg and bread: ]

I'll be mad.

[ They need the money!!! Can't see the stars during the day, anyways, even if they'll always be aware from now on that they exist, and will think about it every time they look up at the sky regardless of the time. ]

[hmmmmmmmmm]

But now I kinda wanna see you mad, so maybe I'll do it just once. ♪

[he wants to see all sides of keigo... the good and the bad... the glad and the mad... the sad he's seeing really soon so he'll figure his feelings on that after the fact...

and for the record he'll have them come back down the hallway the same way they went up, just like subaru closed his eyes on the way back to the student shop that day, but hopefully keigo's a little less wary this time]

[ noooo npckun yells and punches when they're mad, they don't want to be mad at Subaru— but this is also a sentiment they had with Amami and Komaeda and the two of them have made them plenty mad, so, maybe.

But also, yeah, they'll obediently close their eyes and let Subaru lead them again, but they stick a little bit closer to him this time, trying to fall in step beside him instead of lingering like last time, letting their hands swing a little between them and holding on long after they're good to open their eyes again. ]

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me, picky about translations now that i translate, taking an half an hour,

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