battering | ic contact;

[ Yata laughs, loud and genuine at her wording. ]

That's about right, yeah! Mikoto-san would do anything for her. All of us would. [ nod nod. dumb thicker-than-blood bonds and shit. ]

[ They really look out for each other, huh... ]

But that is peculiar. Did Mikoto truly have a daughter at such a young age? Is that a custom in Japan?

-- what? Anna's not his daughter... did Totsuka-san say she was?

No, but... She's your princess... [ Because she's Mikoto's daughter? Right? Maybe she's adopted? This is Totsuka's fault, either way. ]

Edited 2014-01-11 01:56 (UTC)

Mm, that's just a title! She's really cute and little, and she always wears those fancy poofy dresses like one of those princess dolls. She's also the only girl in HOMRA, so I guess we all just started thinking of her that way.

[ It's all Totsuka's fault, yes. ]

Ah, I see. [ She should start getting fancier dresses for her Anna doll, then. ] That does put things into perspective.

Perhaps I should go there. Leaving a little girl in the care of men isn't very good. [ In a smaller voice: ] She needs an older sister.

[ Not that Kougyoku knows how to take care of kids or has any experience in being an older sister figure, but she wants to make a female friend that badly. Maybe she should make a list of things she and Anna can do together, too.

Even if she's well aware of the fact that she might never meet Anna at all. ]

[ He opens his mouth, prepared to interject that hey, they take really good care of her, but. ]

Yeah, you should come... do you have older-sister experience? Siblings, or whatever.

Edited (dsgksdfhgdg dont look at me) 2014-01-11 03:39 (UTC)

No, I'm the youngest of ten. [ TEN!!! Her smile turns into a small frown. ] None of my sisters ever paid me any attention, though.

[ She thinks of her cousins: there was Hakuei, who acted like an older sister, but she didn't like her; there was Hakuryuu, who was a year younger, but they weren't close. Yet the more she saw them together, the more she wanted an older sister to rely on and a younger brother to dote on.

A smile makes its way on her face once again. ]

But I think it would be nice, being one.

Edited (shit i can't math) 2014-01-11 03:58 (UTC)

Ten?! Wow...

[ jesus. he can't even comprehend having that many siblings, let alone ones that don't acknowledge you. instead of focusing on that one negative bit, he smiles back at her and nods. ]

I think you'd be a great older sister.

Edited (whoops) 2014-01-11 04:01 (UTC)

[ She's so happy, she's trembling. ]

Do you think Anna will like me? [ She already asked Totsuka, but. Validation... ]

Yeah, of course she will! Everyone else in HOMRA will too.

[ Why are you trembling, are you a chihuahua-- he pats her head :( ]

[ Too late, she's crying. She can't help it—she knows it can't happen. ]

I want to go... I want to go...

[ Shit. Shiiiiit. Hesitantly, he pulls her in for a hug. Three times now!! Totsuka had suggested a hug last time she cried in front of them, so... ]

I know... I'd do anything to make it so you could go, even for just a little while.

[ Overcome with emotion, she hugs her friend back and rests her head on his shoulder. The tears won't stop. She thought they would. She hoped they would. Yata did say it was better to cry than to keep it in, but right now, she feels like a child.

... Well, in the end, she's only a child. ]

I want to meet Anna and the rest of HOMRA, I want to play more games with Eric, I want to take pictures and fill up a million albums with Tatara—

[ Kougyoku sobs, gasps for air, tightens her hold on the back of his shirt— ]

I want Izumo to be there to tell me "Welcome home" like he always does, I want to see Mikoto... and I... With you... [ She can't even say it. ]

[ He's sad the hug doesn't have the intended effect, both because he realizes how much he hates to see her sad and... it's tough, knowing that the right thing to do is to comfort her in some vague way and just let her cry it out, probably lessen their attachment so it hurts less in the end.

Yata has never been very good at that, and his arms tighten around her slightly. ]

... please come with us. [ The words are soft to keep his voice from cracking. ] I know it's really selfish, and everyone in your world needs you, but Kou-chan I-- we need you too...

Yata. [ Yata, not Misaki. There's an edge to her tone, sharp like glass. ] Stop.

[ The next time she speaks, she is meek and pleading. ]

Please, stop.

[ Stop making her want it as bad as you do. ]

I can't. I'm sorry.

[ Even though he can't think differently, as much as he wants to support her and be strong, at least he doesn't outright ask her again. ]

[ Although she clearly isn't ready to, she pulls away from the hug. She's still crying, but as early as now, she has to start learning when to let go. ]

Oh, I'm such a fool. I haven't even known you for that long. [ Kougyoku wipes her tears away to look at him and smile, but it's a sad one. The best friend she's ever had is bound to forget her someday, and isn't that the biggest joke? ] Perhaps it would have been better if I never asked you to be my friend to begin with.

Edited (grammar) 2014-01-11 07:57 (UTC)

[ He reaches out and bonks her head, and through the initial shock he manages his own sad smile. ]

That's the dumbest thing you've ever said. [ Dumber than let's play tag, dumber than her stalker tendencies, dumber than them trying to make soup. Yata's hand drops and moves to curl around one of hers. For once, he's not embarrassed by it, doesn't even think of it. ]

I'm really happy you're my friend, alright? This is dumb. We're dumb, talking about all this sad shit when we could be paying more attention to finishing your list and on making so many good memories that not even a different universe could make us forget 'em.

[ Kougyoku wants to tell him he doesn't understand, Tatara is dead, Izumo is tired—Mikoto is dying, doesn't he know?—but after listening to what he has to say, it's almost as if none of that really matters. Almost. She'd be more than happy to make good memories with everyone, but what happens after? Yata will be all alone and she can't be there with him. That's what hurts the most. ]

You were always better than me at this sort of thing...

[ Thinking positively. She bursts into tears once again as she holds his hand, but the difference is she's crying for him. ]

We still have time. Let's make the most of it.

[ Knowing the future makes parting all the more painful, yet she smiles. He still has a point. ]

... Sorry for about your shirt. [ Because it's wet with her tears now. ]

It's alright, you made the shirt better.

[ Somehow? He laughs it off by giving her hand a squeeze, and this time it's Yata that leans forward and lets his forehead come down to press against Kougyoku's shoulder. ]

Haaaa... I feel like I need a nap after this. [ a beat. ] Hey, wanna make flower crowns to cheer up? It's on your list, right?

[ And less embarrassing than dancing. ]

[ Kougyoku doesn't know where she finds the time to feel embarrassed about that. No comments about it, though. She doesn't want to ruin this. ]

Mm, but making flower crowns... it's not like you.

But you'd be happy, yeah? I'd be willing to try it out just once for that.

...Yeah.

[ Sometimes, she wants to tell him to stop being so nice to her. It only keeps adding to her confusion. ]

But we need to find flowers first...

That shouldn't be too hard... I think there's some in the greenhouse.

[ Yata straightens back up and smiles at her, this time with no sadness attached to it. ]

Getting some fresh air's probably good too.

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action

action