▌ ENTRY: week 1. wednesday. natsuo.

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[ as much as she tries to hide her emotions, 2b doesn't hesitate to bring natsuo back to his room once the initial clamor upon the group's return has died down. she picks him up with relative ease—though she stumbles a little—and carries him to the fire chamber. pod 042 floats ahead and identifies the room with his name on it; 2b nods and lays him gently on the bed there.

... she's about to leave, but even though his bleeding has stopped, something compels her to stay by his side. she'll wait for a moment before quietly asking, ]

... Are you awake?

Comments

[randori]

[ It's a mumble that escapes him first, something that sounds like "I'm awake" but is too muffled in the sheets that it's hard to pick out certain words. He's exhausted, but he's hanging in there, tilting his head back to clear his mouth and wish the room weren't so red. ]

...I'm awake. ...and I'm glad so many people were there...

[ He's glad there was an exit so close. He's glad Shirasu didn't just leave him down there in the cold and the dark and his demons. ]

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[ she breathes a quiet sigh of relief when he responds. even in this game, where forming bonds only serves to hurt if that person becomes a casualty...

... she doesn't continue that line of thought. ]

We were... concerned.

[ she deliberately doesn't say "worried," but it's definitely what she means. ]

[randori]

[ Natsuo buries his face back in his sheets again. He hates being worried about, causing worry and all of that. But at the same time, it makes him really really happy.

He lifts his face again with a little sigh. ]

I'm sorry. I got out of it okay [ """okay""" ] and I'll be alright from now on, so there's no need for concern anymore.

my inbox is a mess, gomen

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[ . . . she reaches out to rest her hand on his shoulder. even though her hand is gloved, there's something extremely personal about her maintaining physical contact with someone else. ]

Don't say things you can't promise.

[randori]

[ His shoulders square at the touch instead of slumping, a little defiant even though he knows she's right: he can't promise something like this where outcomes aren't black and white, where he can't always be alright.

He promises things he knows he can keep, but this one... ]

I'm going to be alright. [ defiant. a promise. ] I need to believe that, and I need people to believe that.

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[ as he tenses, she too tightens her grip just a little. ]

Then I'm going to hold you to that.

[ again, her words may come out harsh, but her tone is caring. ]