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[flaredo]

"Heeey, you've reached Yang! Well, actually, you didn't reach far enough, 'cause I'm not here right now! But don't yang up! Just leave a message on this baby, and I'll get back to you soon enough, okay?"

[ Please specify VOICEMAIL, TEXT or CALL. ]

Comments

[flaredo]

I know... it never does. But trust me, you'll see him again. And you can talk over whatever you need to with him, then.

[ He's going to apologize, probably, so she hopes Quatre shuts him down fast. ]

[masakados]

[She knows him all too well. That's the first thing that comes to his mind when he thinks about seeing him again. But he still can't reconcile that thought with the image of Quatre laying still and silent.]

Yeah... [He chews the inside of his cheek.]

[flaredo]

And then after that, we can go beat up CERES, because this is all probably their fault anyway.

[ Nothing like violence as a comfort method... even as she squeezes him tightly. ]

[masakados]

[Finally, Naoki manages to smile. It's a thin smile, but it's there and lingers before it disappears. But! He did smile.]

Sounds good.

[flaredo]

[ Ha! She knew that'd help, at least a little. ]

And I'll be by your side the rest of this time... it'll be okay.

[masakados]

[The thought of beating something up or Yang beating something up helps, yes.]

Don't go far from me. [That's all he says. If something happens to her while they're here, he's not sure he'll be able to hold himself together.]

[flaredo]

Wouldn't dream of it.

[ He's gonna have to deal with a ton of hand-holding and hugging and sleeping curled into his side-- so like, nothing entirely different. ]

[masakados]

[Naoki nods, his expression softening slightly. Now, he straightens up slowly, looking back down at the monster crab they've still got to break shell off of.]

...Now, you're hungry, right? Let's get this cleaned up.

[flaredo]

I'm too hungryyyyyy to move.

[ Even as she reaches out to help crack more shell, yep. ]

[masakados]

Aaaand no shellfish allergies?

[Clearly. But he asks just because.]

[flaredo]

[ GIVING HIM THE FLATTEST STARE RIGHT NOW. ]

[masakados]

[Naoki's lips twitch and he actually chuckles.]

Okay. None, got it. [Aaand he's refocusing.] Because we're probably going to be eating this for... however long we're stuck here.

[flaredo]

I wonder how long that'll be... Zwei can feed himself, but I don't think any of us want to be taking week-long vacations down here.

[ SHE MISSES SUNLIGHT. ]

[masakados]

Definitely not. [Naoki grimaces. Especially now that super horrible things have happened, he doesn't want her or any of them to be in a place with debris creatures. Or anything else, but especially those.]

... Oh, right, we should track down other people around, make sure they have some food.

[Anything to keep busy.]

[flaredo]

Let's finish shelling it first, and then we can do a bit of a lap and see who we can find. Sound fair?

[masakados]

Seems like a good plan--

[...] But, since you said you're too hungry to move, I'll cook up some of this for you first.

[flaredo]

You are the best boyfriend and I love you forever.

[ SHE'S STARVING. ]

[masakados]

[Ha-- He laughs and moves the pot he put the meat in, scraping out a small pit in the ground with his foot.] Mmhm, I love you too. I'll keep you fed as best I can for the rest of forever.

[Who needs firewood when you can just use your own fire? No wood required, just the occasional burst from his fingers to keep it going.]

[flaredo]

[ Heater, fire-starter, nightlight... what can't he do (except keep people alive)? ]

That's a pretty important promise, you know.

[masakados]

I figured it was a given by now.

[He'd dedicate his whole life to her lbr--]

[flaredo]

Mm, yeah, but I still appreciate hearing it.

[ Seriously... how lucky is she? ]

[masakados]

[That's-- warming.]

I like saying it just as much. [It's true, he does. Even at a time like this, there's a unwavering warm feeling.]

[flaredo]

Then! Feel free to say it whenever you want.

[ She won't mind at all. ]

[masakados]

I might exceed my allowed sap quota if I do that, though.

[Waxing poetic and such at Yang.]

[flaredo]

I'll allow a bending of it this time. Just this once.