01. video

[kotatsu]

Who: Nanako Dojima
Broadcast: video (fleetwide)
Action: Marsiva
When: Oct. 29th, before bedtime

[ it's late and nanako can't sleep. it's been hard to since she woke up on the hospitality deck, and she'd spent a lot of time wandering around to try and get her bearings. she was scared and confused (still is, if she's being honest with herself), but this isn't the tv world and there's no dark shadows waiting to grab her without a moment's notice. this is at least a little better than that.

but back to the present. there's a young girl on the video feed with dark circles around her eyes, but she tries a brief smile anyway. ]

Um... hello, my name is Nanako Dojima and I'm new here. I'm sorry for not saying anything sooner.

[ doesn't that introduction sound a little familiar? maybe. ]

I've read some of the stuff on this... [ internet? network? ] network? So, I kind of know what's going on. But I have a question and if you have time, maybe you can help me?

[ she takes a deeper breath, mustering up the courage to continue. ]

At school, I read a book about a brother and a sister who went to live with a family friend because their parents had to go to war. One day, when they were playing hide and seek, they found a closet in the attic that took them to a magical world where animals could talk. They stayed there for a long time, until they became grown ups. When they decided to back through the closet, they turned back into kids again and it's like they never left at all.

So, I was wondering if this is like the story I read. Will my Dad know that I'm not at home right now? When we find our way back, will it be like I never left? He's a detective and works really late most of the time, so I don't want him to worry about me.

But, um, thank you for listening... Oh! I was assigned to the SS Three Twins! It's nice to meet you and I'll do my best in lab support.

Comments

video.

[truthvalue]

[Big Bro. That's all he needs to hear; she's alive, and she knows him. Souji feels his heart racing high up in his throat, and he nods to her. Yes, he's here too. They're both here; they're here together. And he can't help his own smile widening at the sight of hers, infectious - it's one of the things, he realizes, that he's missed the most about her being gone.]

I'm in the kitchen. [She saw him getting on the train. He hears this, but it doesn't fully register, not just yet. There's too much excitement buzzing in his head - Nanako is here, Nanako is alive.] I haven't been here very long - maybe a month. Where are you?

[He's already walking out the door; the video feed jostles as he moves.]

video.

[kotatsu]

[ that makes two of them, because once she hears "i'm in the kitchen", she's immediately taking off towards it. ]

Okay, I'll meet you there!

[ who will find the other one first? let's find out. ]

action.

[truthvalue]

[Well ... if they're both on the move, they may miss each other. Souji comes to a halt outside the entrance to the kitchen and dining area, alert for the first sign of tiny pigtails headed his way.

It almost seems too good to be true. He almost doesn't want to let himself believe this is really happening until he sees her in person - not just on the video screen - until he can hold her in his arms.]

action forever

[kotatsu]

[ good thinking, souji. he'll spot her heading his way soon enough and when she sees him, she immediately runs up and throws her arms around him in a fierce hug. she clings to his shirt, twisting her fingers into the fabric and pressing her face against his torso.

her voice is muffled, but she doesn't look up, afraid he'll leave again. ]

I missed you, Big Bro.

yes good c:

[truthvalue]

[Souji starts blinking back tears again the second she comes into sight. It's too much - he feels the force of her tiny hands in his shirt, and he feels like everything inside is suddenly expanding to the point of bursting. It's hard to breathe, like the air's all gone from the room.

But Nanako is alive. She's alive and she's here, and he has a second chance to make sure she stays safe. That's what's important.

Souji carefully crouches to the floor so he's at her eye level, both hands going to her shoulders. He hesitates to touch her for a moment, as if he thinks she might crumble to dust before his eyes. But that moment passes; he smiles, and gently pulls her in closer to him, wrapping her up in a warm embrace.]

I missed you too, Nanako.

[kotatsu]

[ when he pulls her closer, she goes willingly, wrapping her small arms around his shoulders instead and pressing her face against his shoulder. she thinks if she actually looks him in the eye, she'll start bawling and that's no good.

but eventually, she does pull away a little, rubbing her eyes with one hand as she takes a deep breath. ]

I'm glad you're okay! I didn't think I'd see you here...

[truthvalue]

I didn't think I'd see you either.

[Anywhere, ever again. She doesn't need to know that, though. Souji rests a hand on her back, rubbing slow, comforting circles.]

But I'm really glad to see you, Nanako. Did you just get here today?

[kotatsu]

N-No, I got here a few days ago... I was on the hospitality deck.

[ the feeling of his hand on her back is so familiar that it immediately calms her down, wiping away the last of her tears. ]

But um, they said that I'm going to be on the SS Three Twins as lab support, so I have to go there next. What ship are you on, Big Bro?

[truthvalue]

[His mouth presses into a thin line for a short moment. She's been here for days, and he didn't know. That's - upsetting. Careless. Like before, he thinks, and immediately forces the thought back down. He can't get swept up in the spiral of guilt, not now, not when Nanako is here in front of him.]

First Breath - I'm their cook. But nobody's on their regular ships right now; we're all here together on the Marsiva again. I don't think anyone has figured out why yet.

[But this is an OK arrangement. He can stick close to Nanako as long as it lasts. And he'll know where to look for her when - if? - they are returned to their normal ships.]

Did anyone help you when you first got here, or were you all by yourself?

[kotatsu]

Oh... [ hm. that means they'll be on different ships, won't they? ] Am I allowed to switch ships later?

[ it'd be really nice if they could be on the same crew, but she's not sure how to do that. plus, she hasn't met anyone in her crew either. ]

Um, a boy named Hinata helped me a little. We talked through the communicator. He said he's in maintenance on the SS Heron.

[truthvalue]

I don't know. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask someone about it ... which ship would you rather be on?

[Souji knows he'd feel a lot less anxious if Nanako and he were on the same ship. He makes a mental note to inquire about it later.]

That's good. Hinata was nice to you?

[kotatsu]

Your ship!

[ come on souji, who else's ship would she rather be on??? but she nods, smiling a little. ]

Uh-huh, he was really nice and told me about what his ship was like and what I'm gonna do in lab support.

[truthvalue]

[Well ... he didn't want to assume. He knows Nanako was used to taking care of herself, before Souji came to stay with her and Dojima. She's independent, and capable ... but the knowledge doesn't make Souji worry about her any less, all things considered.]

I'd like that, Nanako. We'll find out. Right now, we're all on the same ship.

[They're together again. He smiles; it's something he's wanted so badly for months now.]

That's good, that he was nice to you. Why don't you tell me what you'll do in lab support?

1/2

[kotatsu]

[ it's true she can take care of herself, but she's still very new to the fleet and she knows she'd feel a lot more at home if she was in the same ship as souji. she'll have to ask ino about switching when she gets the chance. ]

He said I'm gonna be a nurse! I don't know if I'll be good at it, but he said that there's a lot of other people that're in lab support too, so I can always ask them for help.

[kotatsu]

[ speaking of, now that they're together and she's got a better view of him: ]

Big Bro... are you okay? [ she lifts a hand to the scar on his cheek, but hesitates in touching it, her hand falling on his shoulder instead. ] Did you get hurt earlier?

[truthvalue]

[Oh ... right. That. Souji is almost able to forget about the scar on his face most of the time - it doesn't hurt (though he thinks it probably should) and most people don't notice, or don't comment on it if they do. The tips of his fingers come up to trace over the thin line, and he give Nanako a reassuring smile.]

It's OK, Nanako. It doesn't hurt. I was ...

[He hesitates; how much of that story does Nanako need to know? She might not take well to knowing Souji was a demon, albeit temporarily. It's been months since it happened, as far as he can tell, but the guilt of his evil deeds still weighs heavily on him.]

There was a fight. I was in it, but I wasn't hurt too badly.

[He'd been on the hurting end of that fight, for the most part.]

[kotatsu]

Oh...

[ it looks like it hurt a lot, though. nanako remembers seeing one of her classmates skin his knee after school and needed a band-aid. she wonders if souji was able to get a band-aid too. ]

I saw my classmate's mom give him a kiss once when he got hurt. They said it's supposed to make you feel better. Do you think that would make you feel better, Big Bro?

[truthvalue]

[Oh, Nanako. It's uncanny, how she's always able to find the exact perfect thing to say. Souji feels a tightening in his chest, a stinging in his eyes as he blinks back the tears forming there, but he smiles at her and simply nods. Yes. He would feel much better. He already feels much better, now that she's here.]

[kotatsu]

[ once he nods, she leans in to press a light kiss on his cheek, right above the scar. ]

There! All better!

[truthvalue]

[Souji smiles at her, inhaling a quick breath, and nods again.]

All better.

[And in this moment, he means it - everything is better, if just for that moment.]

sorry for the delay!

[kotatsu]

I'm glad I made you feel better, Big Bro!

[ she giggles, obviously pleased with herself. ]

Next time, I'll give you a band-aid too.

always all good <3

[truthvalue]

[Souji just hopes there won't be a next time to contend with. One round of life as a demon who delighted in doing awful things was bad enough.]

Are you hungry, Nanako? There's some food in the kitchen.