loveedition | starsand // starnet DM / open post

[ ...there's a lot she could say. They've since had a chance to speak, and it was amicable. Even so, the conversation after... everything happened still tugged at the back of her mind. How angry she had gotten.

...maybe it was because when she had thought about it, after talking to Inaba, the situation hit far too close to home. She didn't want to think of any of them not trying... much less herself. ]

I couldn't tell. I mean... I suppose I've met people like that before, but... mm. I guess... I know you wouldn't be in love with someone that was actually awful.

[ Maybe? ]

[Yuuto sets the phone down for now, concerned. He knows that he can’t force people to like each other, but he’s protective of the ones he loves. He’s already gone to bat for Inaba and now he’s feeling protective of Akutagawa too, but-

It does sound like Ryoko is still trying. He pouts a bit at her comment.]

Of course I wouldn’t! Akutagawa is… nnn. [He stops himself. Right after a break-up is not the time to try to sell Ryoko on his boyfriend.

Yuuto circles back to the part that matters.]

Anyway, I’ll text him. He’ll be glad to know that you’re okay. He feels really strongly on things sometimes, so… [Yuuto doesn’t want him strongly worrying if he doesn’t have to.]

I hope you can get along…

...if it helps you feel any better, I don't necessarily dislike him. I kinda had the same experience with your brother honestly, and I like him well enough. Maybe given everything, first impressions are just kinda tricky?

[ But, either way. ]

Th-Thanks. I'll do my best, anyway. Let him know I appreciate his concern too.

Edited 2022-10-18 22:10 (UTC)

Eh..? Dimitri..?

[… Nope! Can’t argue that! Makes total sense that Dimitri might be rude to someone! It’s kind of how he is…

Yuuto laughs meekly.]

I’m very sorry about him… But maybe second impressions will be better! I think we’ve all been under a lot of stress lately… so we’re probably seeing a lot of the worst in each other, right? It took you and I a while to get comfortable with each other too.

[And then Yuuto went crazy and got on first name basis within a few months. He doesn’t want to waste their limited time together!]

Mmm. Honestly, all of us...

...

I think we could use something like Spirit Day to cheer us all up. I know it's for the spirits and kami, but being able to lift them up should help us too, right?

I bet it'd help me out just to serve oden again.

I agree! Maybe the Fallen Stars can hang out together? It could be a chance for everyone to get to know each other again and become friends. As long as things are peaceful, you all should enjoy them?

Right!

...and, uh. I'll be counting on my friends to pull me away if I wind up getting out of hand again. I'll do my best to show a little restraint for once...

Mm… Well. Um…

[There are some nervous tail swishes now,] What if um. We made plans to walk around the festivities together? For a bit? Then you’d have to take it easy..?

N-Not to blackmail you or anything!!! Is this blackmail? Am I threatening you?!

I mean it in a good way! A not weird way!!

What's the weird way supposed to be?!

[ ...actually, she waved that off. Don't tell her. ]

But... that's okay. I can make some time for that. Someone has to make sure you're not off doing who knows what while Akutagawa-san is fighting.

I-I mean… I was going to watch his matches. I think it’s kind of cool that he can fight.

[Yuuto frowns to disguise his shyness.]

I asked if I could fight too, but I got shut down. I wanted to help the Facility kids too. They’re my family…

--Would you really need to prove how strong you are to them, though? Considering they are your family, they'd already know.

Oh... Well. They don't know that they're my family..? I don't think they know me well at all. Except that I got kidnapped...

But don't they at least know you're a kami? You're meant to be pretty strong then, right?

[ She thinks so? ]

Nn, well... [He doesn't want to unload too much Facility information on her right now. It's hard enough without the added grief.]

For those kids, defeating other kami is the goal. I'm sure they're convinced I'm an easy target after all that happened while I was there. [Yuuto brushes off the memories with a sigh,] Point is! I could be doing more.

Mmm.

No, it's probably okay. Really, it's to convince them that we're strong enough, but not all of us have to show that off? It's showing our hand too quickly. With a bit of coordination, we could...

[ She trails off?! She's thinking about this in her head now. ]

You don't even know what my power is and you're trying to make a plan using me?

[Before she can panic about the implications, Yuuto smiles and waves his hand to signal calm. He's half-joking.]

Satou-san thinks the same thing. I think it could be true for some of the other Fallen Stars too. A lot of you have abilities that could be a real threat to those kids. It wouldn't be good to have those people targeted early. [There's someone is particular that he's thinking of, but her ability isn't even well known among the Fallen Stars.]

Oh--

[ And she's signaled. A nervous laugh. ]

I guess so. I don't... think my magic's well known, but it's helpful in a pinch?

Mm, you’re a support magic user. The thing about that place is that they seem to mostly focus on power. You don’t want to teach your captives to outsmart their enemies. You want them to believe strength is everything and they are always weaker than you.

So I don’t believe that they have very many support magic users on their side. I could be wrong, but I think the way to trip those kids up is to show them that strength isn’t everything.

… I’m so sorry! I got serious all of a sudden! That’s not like me!!!

D-Don’t remember that, please!

[ ...and with that, she starts laughing. Brightly, cheerfully smiling before she waves that off herself. ]

Sorry! Sorry, it's just-- you sounded like someone I look up to. It was actually kinda cool.

B-But... [He's starting to turn red. Cool??? Is a lot???]

I appreciate it... I just have a lot of time to think. And I spend a lot of time watching people, uh-- Not in a creepy way, um...

Did I make sense at least?

It's more like observation, right?

[ A pause. ]

...unless you just people watch to figure them out right away?

N, no! I mean, there's a lot that you can figure out from watching someone, but you'll learn more by talking to them and it's kinda creepy to just look at strangers or even friends in silence uh-

[pause.

He needs to breath. But all of this has him really flustered.]

What matters is! We should keep some of our powers a secret, mm-mm! What we have going for us is that we don't use raw strength to win our fights!

No, I get that. You're right. Not every fight can be one through actual fighting.

The first major fight I can think of was actually the opposite, you know.

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