Video;

[scratchitti]

[It's a Neku, sitting in his new room, looking.... grim. And thoughtful. Perhaps even seriously considering]

...so is anyone thinking of going with Sakuyamon?

Comments

[headseraph]

Are you? [Answering questions with more questions.]

[scratchitti]

I...don't know.

[headseraph]

Please don't leave me. [It's blurted out unthinkingly.] I mean, um.

[ABRUPT CALL END.]

[scratchitti]

[He blinks in shock] I wouldn't-!

[Oh she's gone. His voice drops, and he looks aside, looking ashamed of himself]

I'd never leave you behind....

[audio]

[headseraph]

[Floramon doesn't like being on screen, so audio.]

She says she's sorry for hanging up on you.

[audio]

[scratchitti]

It's fine. Just... let her know I won't go anywhere, okay?

[headseraph]

She knows. Or I know, which is the same thing.

[scratchitti]

...good. I didn't mean to freak her out or anything.

[headseraph]

She freaked herself out. She freaks out about you.

[scratchitti]

[The wince is audible in his voice: a small hiss]

She shouldn't.

[headseraph]

I know.

Stop being sad about happy things. Neku, tell her that you like her and stuff. Or is this about the whole girlfriend thing? I can't tell. [A beat.] I don't speak shrug, Shiki.

[scratchitti]

[He sighs, but it's affectionate]

You could decide you wanna go spit polish Jupitermon's boots and I'd still be there, Shiki. Don't worry about it. I just... I want everyone to be safe, ya know?

[headseraph]

Aren't you scared about what happens if we win? [Winning and safety are tied together in her head.] I . . . I don't know if I want the worlds to split again.

[scratchitti]

[He winces, and looks aside. It's not just Shiki being gone. It's Squall and Roze and... shit Cam. If he's right (and he's pretty sure he is) winning would literally be killing his best friend]

...I don't know if can... again...

[He mumbles under his breath]

If we don't though, who knows how many people could get hurt. I don't...

[A helpless noise. He just doesn't know]

[headseraph]

I know that! [She misses her biggest problem being Black Skullers stealing her pins.] I know. It would be selfish not to help and . . . and . . .

Don't cry. Please don't cry.

[There's a shaky, wavering breath.] And I think there has a better solution than just. Sending us all home.

[scratchitti]

I dunno if there's another option.

[YOU COULD TRY AND SOFTEN THIS FOR HER NEKU YOU DUMBASS]

[headseraph]

So then how am I supposed to pick when both options are shit? [Because Duo's homeworld is crappy and some people are dead and neither option seems really good right now.] What's the point in bringing people here and then giving them nice things if all that happens in the end is I have to go back home and try to pretend like I'm okay with not having friends?