Kotone "sleepy bitch disease" Shiomi (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
orphne) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
expiationlogs2024-03-01 07:53 am
orphne) wrote in expiationlogs2024-03-01 07:53 am
[open/mingle] a light in the darkness
Who: any and everyone!
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(
If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!
Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.
She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!
1. Rural Snapshot
Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))
Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).
With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!
2. Potluck and BYOB (chef's recommendation: hot cocoa)
The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!
The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.
If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.
Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?
3. Hot Springs Episode
There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.
There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!
[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]
Where: astralin's farmhouse
What: mingle log for post-blackout!
Warnings: y'all tell me, please be good and don't break the house :(
If she hadn't been at the party, Kotone wouldn't have even known about the extent of the blackout. Sure, it's inconvenient, considering a lot of the lights are electric, and the fridge is, of course, powered by electricity as well, but the farmhouse she'd taken over from Astralin is an older and more traditional building. The main heat sources are the fireplaces strategically placed throughout the building -- a large one in the living space, a smaller one in the kitchen along with a wood-burning stove, and another large central one upstairs to help heat the bedrooms -- and the geothermal hot springs on the land. With the cold weather and snow on the ground, it's easy to take the food from the fridge and leave it outside in a locked box away from wild animals, but aside from the inconvenience of resorting to the candles and lanterns that were stockpiled in the basement, the farmhouse itself survives relatively unscathed!
Therefore, not long after the blast, Kotone sends a video message over the (charm) network inviting anyone who wants to take shelter from the cold, or even just cook some food, to come to Astralin's farmhouse on the edge of town for as long as they want or need.
She won't even make anyone help out on the farm. Probably!
Power might go out, but life on the farm doesn't stop for something like that! The old wood stoves in the barn need to be cleaned up and made ready for use to keep the animals warm, and the animals still need to be taken care of. Goats, sheep, cows, chickens (a particularly big and brave one has the tiniest leather collar and a tag that says her name is "Scramble," and her friends Benedict and Sunny aren't far behind. They are Not For Eating (though their eggs are!))
Kotone won't make anyone help her with the farm chores of cleaning the barn, feeding the animals, or generally keeping things up and running, but she definitely won't turn down the help, either, giving pointers so the new folk don't completely muck it up (sometimes literally).
With the snow and general chill, there's not much to do with the crops themselves. Everyone is safe from the fields for now!
The farmhouse is not the inn -- Kotone has some food prepped and stored, with preserves from the fall harvest one of the key features, but it's not meant to feed the whole town. Thus, Kotone's going to request that anyone coming to stay at the farmhouse bring either raw ingredients or something they've made to share with any other hapless souls. Feel free to use the kitchen to cook, or get some help from someone else with cooking!
The wood-burning stove in the kitchen is perfect for heating up cocoa or wine, and there's room to get close with someone in front of any of the fireplaces. Like, it's encouraged to get close. It's a big farmhouse, but not that big. Make a friend! Share some warmth! The couches are cozy and comfortable, and if someone dozes off, well, Kotone won't be the one waking anyone up.
If someone would prefer to sleep in a bed, there are some bedrooms upstairs! One is, of course, sharing the room with plants. They're benign, normal plants, from potted flowers to hanging vines, but they are everywhere. Kotone herself doesn't have much of a green thumb other than keeping the plants watered and in view of sunlight, but the plants themselves seem to be flourishing throughout the farmhouse either way. It's almost as if someone (Astralin) had used magic to keep them growing strong and healthy, even indoors.
Oh, and speaking of sharing, again, the farmhouse isn't the inn. Expect to be sharing a space with someone else. Maybe a few people! Cozy up and make a new friend. It's better than freezing to death, right?
There are natural hot springs on the farmland that have been developed to mimic a Japanese onsen in places. The air might be cold and dark, but there are candles and lanterns around the springs to light it, and the water is nice and warm, perfect for those chill nights.
There are rules posted -- namely, clean yourself before going to soak -- and while there are separate bathing spaces for genders, Kotone doesn't really care too much about mixed bathing as long as everyone is respectful about it. Others may not be so casual about it, though, so one has to venture across at their own risk!
[ooc: This is a mingle! Feel free to use these prompts as inspiration or make your own. The only request I have is not to completely destroy the farmhouse or harm the animals -- anything else, go wild!]
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[He teases with a smile. Didn't he want to stay by her side so that she doesn't have to fear anything? Yes, but this totally doesn't count!! This is the... fun kind of scaring. He thinks it would be fun to see Kotone shriek just a little, even if she smacks him in the chest afterward. It's like his duty as her boyfriend to do something like this. Stuff to plan for!
But not right now when they're both relaxed. Scott finds himself nodding off as he sits comfortably with her, head leaning against hers. In fact, he can feel his eyes slipping shut for a few moments...
He's not sure how much time has passed before he slowly wakes from his impromptu nap. Thankfully, the water is still warm, but his skin is getting just a little itchy and everything. Ugh, maybe not as fun. He's about to wake up the peacefully slumbering girl next to him, when Scott notices just how... relaxed she is. She really must've been tired lately, huh? From supporting him that whole month, then rebuilding the club building, and now all this with the blackout... she probably really hasn't rested until now. She's always like this.
He smiles, face full of unguarded affection, before deciding that he can let her sleep for just a bit longer. It's not the first time he's seen her in this unguarded manner, but he still treasures it all the same.]
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Unfortunately, the moment of peace doesn't last too much longer. There's a slight shift in her breathing as she slowly starts to wake up, like dragging herself up from the depths -- then all at once, her eyes snap open as she sits up straight with a sharp intake of breath, clearly startled by not being in her own bed. Her hand goes to her heart where it lurches in her chest, bleary eyes struggling to focus through the steam as she looks around frantically. Glasses-]
Scott? [Her voice is smaller than usual, tinged with an almost fear that maybe he doesn't remember her. Maybe she's traveled to another world again. It's an unreasonable fear, but the first one that comes to mind when she wakes up here.]
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He looks worried, but supportive.]
I'm here, Kotone.
[...You know, it's a little funny, but when she told him to stay by her so that she doesn't have to be afraid, he didn't really expect it to happen so soon
or at all. But there's no mistaking that note of fear in her tone, the way her voice comes out small and quiet. Scott can't remember a time she's ever sounded like this before and thoughts of their earlier promise comes up. She wanted to tell him something later. He wonders if that's connected.He doesn't ask just yet though, thumbs stroking against her cheeks.]
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...Scott's probably worried, huh? She forces a reflexive smile to her lips before she can think better of it and lifts one hand to check her wrist, only- of course she's not wearing her watch. They're in the hot springs. The smile fades a little bit, both from that and the reminder that even if she smiles like this, it's not going to assuage Scott's worries, but-]
D'you know what time it is?
[It's not after midnight yet, is it?]
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He wants to be that person. Where she can feel that way. He's going to keep trying, because it's one of the most important things to him. Maybe she feels that way to some degree at least, seeing her smile fade. Not that he likes seeing Kotone upset, but at least she's honest.]
I don't. [He answers, somewhat apologetically, before one hand slides down to take her hand within his.] How about we dry out and get dressed? We'll see what time it is then.
[And then she can tell him what's going on.]
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[She doesn't even try to argue -- under other circumstances, she might ask if he's sure, because if he wants to stay out here, then that fine! But tonight... yeah. She's ready to go back inside. Even though the water's warm, she feels cold, her smile falling away completely with his gentle, physical reminder that she doesn't have to put up the brave front for him. Maybe she should anyway, but she's tired. There's no point to that.
Uncharacteristically quiet, she pulls herself out of the bath and grabs her towel, wrapping it tightly around herself to ward off the chill as she glances back to him.]
I'll meet you outside the changing rooms?
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Okay, meet you there.
[It probably won't take him long to change at least, just needing to slide out of his swim trunks before putting on his regular outfit, his standard jeans, t-shirt, and jacket after drying off. He's definitely in more of a rush though, his worry for Kotone quickening his movements, until he's already sliding his shoes on and waiting for her outside of the changing rooms. It's definitely a little cold out still, but he almost doesn't notice.]
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Eventually, she does make her way out, bundled up tightly in her jacket and scarf, reaching for Scott's hand almost without looking at him as she stays close. He doesn't want her to pretend to be happy, she knows that, but it feels weird not to, too. Like she doing something wrong by not even trying to reassure him. But honestly, she just doesn't know how.]
My room?
[And for once, she's happy for him to lead the way so she can just follow behind without having to think too hard about it.]
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Your room.
[The trek back to her room is uneventful, not to mention that Scott could probably find his way there with his eyes closed. Every so often, he looks back at her, but he doesn't prod just yet, willing himself to be patient until they make it back. Scott really isn't in the mood for interruptions from anyone else, especially if Kotone feels like she has to force a smile at them.
Although, it seems like people are already asleep or elsewhere, because it's pretty quiet.
As they step inside her room, with Scott closing the door behind her, he looks at Kotone with a serious look, but one that may be softened by the way he holds her hand still. His fingers stroke over hers, while feeling glad that they have enough lighting from the lanterns where he can still clearly see her.]
Wanted to find a clock first, right?
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Once they're in her room, she just nods, moving over to her desk without hesitation and grabbing a cute watch off her jewelry stand to check the time. It's in amongst a bunch of other mementos -- several assorted keys, a faintly-glowing ring, a notebook, a dirty dog's collar, a USB stick, a charred screw, a blue bookmark, and others. Still more than an hour until midnight -- which is either a long time or a short time, depending on how she looks at it.
Unceremoniously, she plops down on her bed, clutching the watch gently in both hands.]
Aragaki-senpai gave me this watch. To say thanks for finding his old pocketwatch. Back home, I mean.
[Her Shinjiro. Before she came here. Before he'd gotten shot, before he'd been hospitalized, before everything had started to go wrong.]
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It's not like him and Quentin. They're not friends back in Quentin's world, not from what he's told him.
He reaches for her hand again, suddenly wanting to hold her once more, especially since he knows that something is going on here. The sudden seriousness she showed when mentioning that she won't be afraid as long as he's near, the fear when she woke up, and the desperation of needing to know the time...]
Kotone...?
[He says her name quietly, but with a little push, like he wants her to start explaining.]
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Looking down at the watch, she almost doesn't notice Scott trying to take her hand, only reacting a second or two later to give him a reflexive smile. She doesn't let go of the watch, but instead just sags against him, inviting him to hold her instead of just her hand. It's only after she does that she thinks that hm, she should have maybe lit some of the candles in her room, because it's awfully dim with the only light being the faintly-glowing ring on the table and the perpetually-full moon outside. Well, it'll be enough. Taking a small breath, she presses her lips together, holds it for a moment, before nodding as if firming her resolve.]
Today's March 5th. It would've been graduation day, back home. [But that's not enough of an answer. One more breath, and more quietly, she adds without looking up from the watch,] It's the anniversary of the day I die.
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March 5th. Graduation Day.
But why 'would've been'But another breath from her and as she gets the rest of her words out, Scott's breath nearly freezes in his chest, movements stilling against her. Today... today is the day she died.
Breath still stuck in his chest, it's suddenly hard to even swallow, because everything suddenly hurts so badly. He didn't quite imagine that this would be the thing that would be brought up. Maybe nightmares about her fights back home, in the Dark Hour and in Tartarus, but not... not this. But it makes sense, doesn't it? Afraid of the time, because she's afraid that she won't live past today.
That... that won't happen. Right?
...It could. Even if she doesn't fade away, this place could make her disappear, like Dazai and so many others. It all hurts so much.
But Scott tries his hardest not to focus on his own pain, instead nodding against her. This is about Kotone... and her fate, and she trusted him enough to not only tell him, but spend this night with him. Finally, he's able to breathe once more, and he lightly encourages Kotone to lie on his lap, just so that he can still look at her face while sitting up. Let her be the one to rest.]
I'm... I'm glad that you wanted to spend this time with me.
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...He's taking it better than she'd expected, really, and he gets a tiny smile for that effort.
Swallowing hard, she moves without resistance to rest her head on his lap, gazing up at him. It's almost funny; this is exactly how she'd laid on the roof with Aigis, in the end. There's no warm sun this time, though, no gentle sea breeze. Just the warmth of Scott's thigh and the dim glow of the moon outside, reflecting off Scott's glasses.]
I was told when I went back to Tatsumi Port Island that I'd have one year, you know. [The watch rests heavy against her chest as she meets his eyes, glances past him, looking out the frosted window.] ...It's been about that long since I arrived here.
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Maybe another night.
Scott nods when she mentions having only one year, just briefly wondering who in the hell told her something like that. Again, though, it doesn't really matter right now, just wanting Kotone to talk about the things she wants to talk about, especially if... he's spending these last moments with her. He can feel tears prick at the corners of his eyes, but he tries to push through it. If she managed to come back to life here for almost a whole year, there's definitely a possibility she'll be fine for one more night at least.]
A whole year... [He finally speaks, his voice a little shaky, but still trying to be supportive, no matter how hard it is.] And then you got another to make new friends and stuff.
[And be with him.]
...Pretty lucky, right? I... know I feel that way. [Because he got to be with her.]
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There's no humor as she huffs a quiet laugh through her nose, just the hint of a smile curving her lips as she nods. Lucky... yeah. She does still feel lucky, in spite of all of it. All the hard times, all the work, all the stupid things they've gone through and the people they've lost, she still doesn't regret any of it. She'd never have met Scott if she hadn't come here, after all.]
...It's dumb, right? [Tell each other everything, even if they think it's stupid.] Death doesn't care about things like anniversaries or dates. But now that Minato's here, it's like...
[Maybe this was her chance. Her, Shinjiro, Ken, and Ryoji had their time here, and now it's time for Minato and his members of SEES to do their best.]
I dunno, [she finishes quietly instead of saying that, because even she doesn't know how to say it in a way that doesn't sound bitter. And that's not fair to Minato at all.]
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Even if some parts of that have been really painful too. But he's still so glad to have met her, love her, be with her.
At first, Scott's a little confused when she brings up a 'Minato,' and... oh. Oh. Everything suddenly clicks and son of a bitch-- that's why he felt sort of familiar in some way. Or at least, the acceptance of such an early death. It all makes sense now. Minato is that boy leader, the one that Shinjiro and Mitsuru knows.]
I think I met him. The... leader in Shinjiro and Mitsuru's world, right? [The not you--] What about him though?
[He can tell that she's kind of upset about Minato, although, understandable. He's not sure how he'd feel if that Scott Summers from Quentin's world appeared, but that's still probably different, right? They're both Scott, she and Minato are two different people, just... one of them became the SEES leader and the other didn't.]
He's pretty different from you.
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...There's nobody left here who remembers me from home, [she says softly, opening her eyes to meet Scott's glasses.] So... maybe it's up to him now.
[Maybe she had her year, and that was it. If Akihiko were here, she'd be more certain of it -- that her senpai were supposed to be laying the foundation, and Minato was there to step up, just like they had for SEES. Her Shinji had done that for her here, kind of, though it hadn't been nearly as much time between him and her as it had been for Mitsuru, Shinji, and Minato.
Equally as softly, she adds,] I'm really tired, Scott. But I don't want to sleep yet.
[Death really doesn't care about anniversaries, but people do. The significance of today is for her and Minato -- and now Scott -- to deal with. Minato was handling it better, she thinks.]
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[He tried? But Scott starts gently stroking her cheek, thumb passing across her still warm skin and he does his best to smile reassuringly at her, even if... even if this is really the last time she'll open her eyes. His eyes sting as that feeling comes back, but his stupid crying face is the last thing he wants Kotone to see. He has to be stronger than this, right? She's the one that's dealing with shit.
Still really fucking hard.]
We'll stay up, as long as you want. [He really doesn't want her to sleep. He's afraid that she'll fall asleep and never wake up... but he doesn't want her to keep awake if she's really tired. Honestly, he just plans on staying up all night, even if she sleeps, never closing his eyes until she opens hers. He'll gladly stay up for her.]
...What do you want to do, Kotone? Tell me.
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[She reaches up and brushes her fingers against his cheek with a tiny, genuine smile, because he's right. She has him, and her friends here that she has left, and even if they don't remember her here, she knows Ken and all the rest do remember her back home. So it should be fine, shouldn't it? She'd been ready to go back then. Minato still feels that way, she thinks.
When she'd first arrived, she'd just expected that any day would be her last, so why not have fun while she was here? Make friends like she always did, but not let any of them get too close, so it wouldn't hurt so much when she did leave. But the longer she spent here, the harder that became; somehow, it's different than her time with SEES. Everyone in SEES had been counting on her as a leader -- all of her other social links had been depending on her to help them with something, or they were there to teach her something, always some kind of loss. The people here were different. Scott was different.
Her fingertips brush lightly over his lips, as if that gesture alone could make him smile. She doesn't want him to cry because of her.]
Just talk to me? [It's a quiet request as she cups his cheek and smiles up at him.] I just want to listen to you talk. About anything. Stuff at home, stuff here in Aldrip... whatever.
[She's too tired to want to carry a conversation herself, and maybe now for the first time, she understands why Shinji -- her Shinji -- had wanted her to talk about all the mundane stuff going on in her life, all the way back then. There's something nice about hearing about someone's normal life when everything seems to be too difficult in one's own.]
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Of course, still thinking about her like that makes his lips tremble. There was no possible way for him to remain entirely unaffected at the thought of this being their last night together. Thoughts of how he's going to face the others barely register in his mind, because he's still just focusing on her. He tries to smile despite all this, but Kotone can easily tell that he's so close to crying.
He helplessly leans his face against her hand, taking in her comfort even though he was the one that should be comforting her right now. Maybe this is okay, mutual comfort. Just as long as he doesn't start crying.]
...Okay. [His voice cracks a little, but he nods, wanting to grant her request. Scott doesn't think there's really anything that interesting in his life at home to talk about, but that's not the point, he knows it's not. She just wants him to talk about whatever that comes to his mind; usually something he's really good at, but a little hard right now.
Words remain lodged in his throat for a minute, before he manages something, albeit shaky at first.]
So, um, I stole the headmaster's car recently back home. [He huffs, trying to smile.] Look, he wasn't using it and my friends needed a break from that stuffy old mansion.
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She lets her hand fall away from his face to rest on her chest, holding his hand close and tucking her head in against him more comfortably. The thought of Scott doing something like that makes her laugh softly as she tries to picture it.]
I didn't know you knew how to drive. I never learned.
[When's the last time she'd even been in a car? Not for a long, long time. It's not like she has a fear of them or anything, even though there had been the "accident" on the bridge. She didn't have a lot of fears like that. It's just there was never really a reason for her to learn how to drive.]
Mitsuru-senpai -- my senpai -- promised to take me for a ride on her motorcycle a long time ago. I still have the key she gave me.
[She doesn't do more than tilt her head to indicate the pile of junk on the desk, but there is a distinctly vehicle-appropriate key in among the mix.]
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He knows it's completely childish. He knows that him being here isn't going to determine whether or not she makes it past tonight. Scott can only make sure she's not alone in any of this. That's what she wants, what the both of them know for certain at least.]
I can show you later.
[Not that Scott actually has a driver's license, but he knows how to drive and that's all that matters. Although, a little hard to teach someone how to drive when there's not even a car around these parts. Still, none of that really matters, all he cares is telling her that he'll teach her 'later,' a promise that he doesn't know he can fulfill because of what tonight signifies.
He barely glances at the pile at her desk, just wanting to keep his eyes on her.]
Wow, she gave you that? Almost feels like a love confession. [Scott laughs, grin turning watery and lopsided.] Cars-- motorcycles especially, are like people's pride and joy.
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[Not that there's really any cars to drive here, but it's a nice thought. Something to look forward to, if she makes it past tonight. A car could appear any day, after all! Weirder things have happened!
But the idea of it being a love confession does make her laugh a little, even as she shakes her head against his lap. Not so much a confession as,] It was a promise. 'Cause for her, her motorcycle was like freedom, you know?
[She rubs her thumb gently across the back of Scott's hand, just relishing the warmth of his skin against hers.]
You'll have that same freedom too, when you go home.
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[He really wants a motorcycle sometime, because there's just that sense of being out in the open that a car can't fully duplicate. It would be even cooler if he could modify it somehow. Add something to the engine so that he can drive really fast down the road, speeding down without a real thought in mind.
He should probably get his driver's license first though. There's a lot he needs to do whenever he gets back.]
...
[Yeah, he has the chance to do all that when he gets home. He has a whole future waiting for him, right? But when Kotone goes home... she won't get that freedom, she'll... be a door, some sort of guardian to stop death from happening. All of that is still confusing to Scott, but he still understands that her future is grim. Maybe nonexistent.
For a moment, Scott doesn't say anything, and although he tried so hard to keep it together, a couple of tears starts slipping down his glasses to roll down his cheeks.]
Y-yeah, I can get a motorcycle... [His voice cracks at the end.]
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