[She clutches at her head, grimacing. Also me, irl, trying to figure out this stupid ass timeline. Watch someone here be a DR superfan and Um Actually me into exploding my entire lore]
It's around...2014. [a beat] So the world...it got...b-b-better?
Mikoto steps forward at the sight of her tears, he can't help it, his only basis for crying teenage girls is his younger sister that he would comfort by pulling into a hug, though its been years since she last needed one. ]
[for once she doesn't try to expel him. the force of relief is that overwhelming. Relish this five seconds sans screaming.]
I'm just s-s-so tired of all the death, and th-the pollution, and f-fighting all the t-t-time...the killing games and the d-d-despair...I thought it would n-n-never end!
[ the most precious five seconds........ he doesn't want to ruin the moment, so it's a relatively light hold, one she can pull away from whenever she wants even though Mikoto is like ooooohhh my god what has this girl been though to be this traumatized by death and killing games and despair??? high school life's gotten real rough these days he sees ]
That's right. Things are better now. People don't just- just kill each other. It's alright now. It's okay.
[She just keeps sobbing at that reassurance. The light touch isn't rebuked. The top of her head might even briefly bow to rest at his shoulder as she rubs furiously at her eyes.]
Th-then...either...I'm...I'm m-m-meant to be here, because the wishes will work? Maybe? Or...it'll be f-fine with or without me? I don't know.
Is being here th-the right thing, or a h-huge mistake?
[ He doesn't have a great answer for that— any answer, really, because he doesn't know either. He doesn't know anything about wishes, or the world, right from wrong.
but he knows that he should say something, anyway. he knows what it's like to live in constant uncertainty, and how much difference the smallest bit of reassurance can be ]
The world becomes a better place, and that's with you in it. So whether being here is the right thing, or if it's meant to be, does that matter?
[it really does makes a difference. And this is the last place she was expecting to find any sort of relief from, the last person, the last time.
None of it makes much sense. But she needs it to be true. Hope is a hard thing to hold onto.]
You're j-just saying that to s-say it. [She can sense a platitude coming a mile away. (most of the time.) But she draws back upright now, still trying to clear the mess of her face with the back of her sleeve. Her glasses inevitably get unseated, but she sniffles and rights them with trembling fingers.]
I think, um. M-maybe it'll be b-because...because I am getting that wish. I have to. If it's what h-h-helps make things right, then I have no choice. I'll do anything to s-save them. To stop it.
....
[And this, really, never comes lightly from her. It's very small, and thickened with the remaining flush of emotion, and uttered with her eyes wrenched shut.]
[ He hears it, and it makes him smile, stepping back to give Toko her space and so he isn't tempted to brush her hair back or anything untoward. magnet distance has been reinstated. ]
You're welcome.
[ he has questions, how can he not, but he doesn't ask them. Besides, if he doesn't want to be made into a liar, he's got to work hard too to make sure their wishes are getting granted. ]
Whenever you start to doubt, just come find me. I'll tell you about all sorts of wonderful things there are- not just in Ebisu, but in the rest of the world too.
[ holds this thread gentle like a baby bird but also me staring at my hands like this is so far from the other shoe ]
Of course, I know. We'll have plenty of time to talk later, so I'll give you back your space now.
[ let him escape first, like a coward, because if other people sees Toko leave looking like she's been crying that's going to be such a bad look for him ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
But also she looks suddenly stricken.]
H-huh? You really are f-from...Japan?
Just regular Ebisu? Then — [A little hurriedly now, taking a cautious step closer] Wh-what's the last thing you remember about it?
no subject
Uh! I dunno, nothing special was going on. I was heading to the train station after work...? Just the regular Ebisu.
no subject
...I see. So it's not the same then. Or maybe—
[She trails off, thinking.]
What year is it?
no subject
Not the same Ebisu? I don't get what you mean. It's 2020... something.
no subject
[IMPOSSIBLE.]
2020? But I'd b-be an ancient hag already? That's several years away yet!
no subject
[ girls and their obsession with ages, smh ]
But okay, then, what's the year, as you remember it to be? [ which is different from what year is it actually ]
no subject
[She clutches at her head, grimacing. Also me, irl, trying to figure out this stupid ass timeline. Watch someone here be a DR superfan and Um Actually me into exploding my entire lore]
It's around...2014. [a beat] So the world...it got...b-b-better?
no subject
Um.
[ can he really say the world's been getting better? can he really? ]
no subject
[this is the first time you see the glimmer of Hope in her eyes]
no subject
oh well! since he's already been branded a liar by literally everybody else here!! ]
...Yes.
1/2
I'm...I-I-I'm...
2/2
[Bursts into tears]
no subject
Mikoto steps forward at the sight of her tears, he can't help it, his only basis for crying teenage girls is his younger sister that he would comfort by pulling into a hug, though its been years since she last needed one. ]
no subject
I'm just s-s-so tired of all the death, and th-the pollution, and f-fighting all the t-t-time...the killing games and the d-d-despair...I thought it would n-n-never end!
no subject
That's right. Things are better now. People don't just- just kill each other. It's alright now. It's okay.
no subject
Th-then...either...I'm...I'm m-m-meant to be here, because the wishes will work? Maybe? Or...it'll be f-fine with or without me? I don't know.
Is being here th-the right thing, or a h-huge mistake?
no subject
[ He doesn't have a great answer for that— any answer, really, because he doesn't know either. He doesn't know anything about wishes, or the world, right from wrong.
but he knows that he should say something, anyway. he knows what it's like to live in constant uncertainty, and how much difference the smallest bit of reassurance can be ]
The world becomes a better place, and that's with you in it. So whether being here is the right thing, or if it's meant to be, does that matter?
no subject
None of it makes much sense. But she needs it to be true. Hope is a hard thing to hold onto.]
You're j-just saying that to s-say it. [She can sense a platitude coming a mile away. (most of the time.) But she draws back upright now, still trying to clear the mess of her face with the back of her sleeve. Her glasses inevitably get unseated, but she sniffles and rights them with trembling fingers.]
I think, um. M-maybe it'll be b-because...because I am getting that wish. I have to. If it's what h-h-helps make things right, then I have no choice. I'll do anything to s-save them. To stop it.
....
[And this, really, never comes lightly from her. It's very small, and thickened with the remaining flush of emotion, and uttered with her eyes wrenched shut.]
Th-thank you. For...f-for telling me...
no subject
You're welcome.
[ he has questions, how can he not, but he doesn't ask them. Besides, if he doesn't want to be made into a liar, he's got to work hard too to make sure their wishes are getting granted. ]
Whenever you start to doubt, just come find me. I'll tell you about all sorts of wonderful things there are- not just in Ebisu, but in the rest of the world too.
no subject
She sniffles again, mouth twisting.]
D-don't go trying to m-make me run into your arms again. I was j-just...startled! Nothing else! You're still a stranger after all!
[MAGNETS REINSTATED. She swallows though, collecting herself in earnest now.]
B-but I wouldn't mind hearing about it, sometime. A world th-that regained its hope.
no subject
Of course, I know. We'll have plenty of time to talk later, so I'll give you back your space now.
[ let him escape first, like a coward, because if other people sees Toko leave looking like she's been crying that's going to be such a bad look for him ]
no subject
Anyway she lets him go. And now she actually will use the bed. Fukawa lays down clutching a pillow as she works to alleviate the rest of her fears.
It's going to be all right. It will be all right.]