JULY PLANET MINGLE

[save_the_souls]

Who: YOU. ME. EVERYONE.
Broadcast: IF YOU WANT
Action: YEAH!!!!!
When: July!

[Congratulations to the crews that did not get themselves blown up! Welcome to the Blue Planet, a planet full of charming islands and even less charming weather patterns! Are you going to take the time to enjoy the beach? Help out with the local Nunnilis population? Get caught in a storm with another person and have a rating boosting sexual tension moment? The world's your oyster!]

[Yeah in other words: ITS A MINGLE GET IN HERE]

[July Planet Info!]

Comments

[arcanepower]

[He's... not expecting to be mentioned in the same breath as Hiro's brother or Ino. That's... huge. A huge compliment. His ears flatten against his hair and he ducks his head, an example of terrible shyness.]

I-- I wouldn't ask you to stay for me. I wouldn't ask anyone.

[He sneaks a glance out the front of the shuttle, careful to avoid basically all eye contact.]

Even when things are going well, there is always a risk that... that people can leave, or some terrible disaster might happen. The only thing separating us from the Nunnilis is some kind of invisible... hand, guiding us onward.

I don't know if it's possible for us to run, but I have thought about it.

[everydayhero]

... well, yeah. There's always the chance that something horrible could happen.

[hiro sighs, looking down a bit.]

Back home, Tadashi's gone. It'd been months since the incident by the time I got here, and then he showed up. So yeah, something could happen, but... I don't want to run from what I have while I have it.

[arcanepower]

[Right. He remembers this, back when Hiro found him hiding under something. The awful things they have in common.]

... You are braver than I am.

[He adjusts his sleeves, pale fingers disappearing beneath the hems.]

It's easier to drive people away. It's easier to be above attachment, and you won't get hurt because you never expect anything out of anyone. Depending on yourself, and making your way alone-- that was my creed, my secret to how I lived this long.

When things became difficult I always ran. If food was scarce, I ran. If danger was nearby, I ran. And then Exsilium happened and I could not run anymore, even though I tried. Adra hunted me down. And now this place, and you, and I still want to run even though I am happy because I don't really know anything else and I am--

[His rant comes to a sharp stop, followed by a soft confession in the stillness.]

I'm scared.

[everydayhero]

... Hey.

[he reaches out, finally, and places his hand on belth's shoulder.]

Here's how I look at it. If you run away from everything all the time, you end up alone forever. You don't get hurt by people leaving, but--nobody likes to be alone. You're hurting all the time. If you let people stay, there are happy times, too. I'd rather have the ups and the downs, even if it's scary. That's why I would never leave you guys.

[arcanepower]

[Belth takes a moment, but he accepts the gesture and finally looks at Hiro.]

I believe you.

[That's fine with him. He doesn't want this to end either. He still hasn't found Adra on his world, and there are so many unanswered questions, and he's still learning how to be a good friend--

He takes a breath and... tries to smile, and it's a bit awkward, but it's there.]

I've never seen beneath the ocean before. There must be so many strange things.