yamaboshi | open ★ [christmas music intensifies]

[ Recolle or any other kind of au are fine with me! ]

[ Sometime post-Emp or some other kind of au!! I'm good with anything really! ]

[ This was definitely not the way that she expected to reuinite with Yuuri after finally coming back home from Verens (but was this really home?) especially given that they're stuck under the mistletoe.

And it's the kind that you can't easily escape from, either. ]

Ah... [ She tugs at the ends of her strands of dark hair, a little uncomfortable. ] Hey, Yuuri.

Edited 2018-12-04 15:26 (UTC)

Mistletoe bats again?!

[ There's an obvious frustration in Mio's voice as she frowns, trying to run away from them in hopes that she doesn't run into anyone except--

Of course she does. ]

Whoops, sorry, I didn't mean to run into you... Kaede?

[ Honestly? Keiichi's pretty surprised that they even have mistletoe on Tellus. It makes sense, but it's still kind of weird seeing neon-lit spires and catwalks adorned with festive garlands and winter decorations. He sees it in a few locations while they walk, but he doesn't even think anything of it.

Still, the winter spirit's catching. There's even a purely digital snowfall, and the air circulators are running a little colder today. It's not quite the same, but it has the same effect. And Keiichi's grateful for every chance he has to walk his girlfriend around, too. But his feet are getting kind of tired, so as they slow down, he comes to rest against a signpost holding up some flashy advertisement oblivious to the sprig of mistletoe that just digitizes into existence above his head, as if on cue. ]

When I imagined the future, I thought there would be a lot less walking and more conveyor belts.

[ He tucks his hands in the pockets of his winter coat (how ridiculous is it that he needs a winter coat in an artificial environment, really) and sighs to himself. He already forgot where they were supposed to be going. Something about going shopping, but it doesn't feel like they've actually gone anywhere... not that he's complaining about spending time with her, sore feet aside. ]

[ Of course the mistletoe bats were back. It's not out of character for stuff like this to happen these days, and Kaede has started to become too used to it. So much so that she isn't paying attention to where she's going and she runs right into someone.

The familiar voice startles her, and she sighs. ]

It's okay. It's my fault too since I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. I just hope we can avoid the bats...

[ But she doesn't expect to be that lucky. ]

...H-Hey.

[ Yuuri didn't expect to see Inaba like this after finally leaving Verens, and he already feels nervous despite just saying a single word to her. He tries to keep his appearance calm, even though he can feel heat starting to creep up on his cheeks. ]

I didn't expect to see you here.

I didn't either. . .

[ She trails off a little bit, in that sort of way that pretty much screams awkwardness, rubbing at the nape of her neck. What else can she say, really? ]

Soooo, how are you? [ Casual talk will help, right? ]

[ Inaba's getting tired herself; she's not the athletic type, so walking for long periods of time is definitely hurting her feet quite a bit. Although she does give Keiichi a rather scrutinizing look. ]

...What kind of sci-fi novels have you been reading?

[ Also pointedly not saying anything about the mistletoe yet. ]

[ He wonders if her world even has the same series as his does, but rather than answer directly, he chooses to avoid the subject, straightening his back out with both hands on his hips. He's a little more used to walking around than she is, most likely, but that's because walking and bike riding are really the only ways to get anywhere in Hinamizawa. ]

The kind where everyone has giant battle robots. Or the games where there are a bunch of cute alien girls. They've got one like that at the arcade here.

[ He's probably exaggerating about that last one. He's only played that game, like, twice. ]

[ He's a little surprised for the casual question, but relieved too. At least he can count on Inaba to help save both of them in this situation. ]

Ah, I'm fine. I've been busy lately, but I was in Shin Makoku for a really long time so... [ He doesn't know what else to add, unsure if talking about his own world might make things weird. ]

What about you?

I hope so too, but I guess it isn't too bad?

[ . . . ]

But we never talk about this ever again.

Mecha series, huh. . . it's not a novel, but there's certainly a lot of anime like that. Also, do we count as aliens? We're not from this world, after all.

"A really long time", huh.

[ She comments a little nonchalantly; it's true that he can probably count on her to help in the situation, but that doesn't make things better. ]

But I'm handling things well, I guess?

[ She smiles, embarrassed. ]

Right! We'll act like this never happened!

[ Yuuri nods, realizing he probably never mentioned that time flows differently there opposed to everywhere else. ]

I'm glad. It's kind of weird being back, huh?

[ He actually had a hard time adjusting, since the change from Verens was so big. ]

[ Well, 'time flowing differently' isn't really much of a surprise anymore considering everything that had happened in Verens.

Shifting from one leg to the other a little nervously, she tries to think of what she can say -- what she should say -- before speaking up again. ]

It definitely is, but more importantly. [ Her eyes glance upwards towards the mistletoe. ] We probably should get out of this predicament, huh... if you're okay with it.

Yep.

[ Mio's lips tug into a grin, an attempt to steel herself. ]

Doooo. . . you think that they'll take a minor kind of kiss?

open ★ [christmas music intensifies]

shion!

inaba!

no subject

no subject

inaba

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject