Week 7

[airlockedmods]

[Well that weekend sucked. The Champions are down a dad and a bean and shrinking their numbers smaller and smaller, less and less.

There's no sign of life in the spaceport aside from PAL's omnipresent voice and SIS, the helpful asSIStant who has some control over certain heres and theres in the spaceport. She (and PAL) are available at all times and can appear anywhere if called. There is, however, a new floor to explore. Just hop in the elevator and pchoo.]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Don't forget to check in, check your memory regains! and put in for item regains))

Comments

[misanthropicprinciple]

[He makes kind of a choking noise, bows his head, then nods. When he picks his face back up, his eyes are absolutely brimming.]

Yeah. Yeah, we... we can hear you. Hey. Hey, ojou-san.

[serrata]

[ Yuuri draws in a sharp, hard breath and then -- you know what, it's all sorts of improper, but off the sofa she goes and she hurries over, settling herself down as close to the TV as she can get ]

Are you-- you're-- oh, I've been wanting to talk to you for so long, I had so much I wanted to say, and now I can't even--!

[ She has to bow her head and cover her face for a moment. Sorry, Junpei, let her collect herself for a second. ]

[burninglight]

[yeah he's right next to you with a hand on your shoulder, honey]

[motherfucking_ghost]

Sup, Yuyubean.

[How do reactions?]

[serrata]

I've been so worried about you! That's what's up!

[ Oh, we're doing Yell again. Sorry Church. ]

I'm-- I didn't-- I'm so sorry I was such an idiot and I left you all behind. I wish I was there with you and I.. I'm sorry.

[motherfucking_ghost]

You didn't remember anything. 's okay. Dumbass plan to try and stab the swordmaster in the middle of the night, though, dumbass.

[serrata]

I'd already seen his sword! That's the worst part! He pointed it at me and it was on fire, and I was still convinced I could take him!

Even I can't believe how stupid it sounds!

[motherfucking_ghost]

My arm's not burnt anymore. So. There's that. He doesn't have a sword anymore. He's a Champion.

...I mean out there. Wherever the fuck we are. A spaceport. PAL's back, but like, a slightly upgraded version? And some guy from my past. I dunno, he probably told you all this.

[serrata]

I know, I-- did you know that we've been able to see you this whole time?

[ that's important information, she feels like she should probably tell him that. ]

We were just watching you both on the TV we have here, and then when it cut back from whatever happened you could hear us.

[motherfucking_ghost]

That's.

...Oh.

Even there?

......Oh. Shit.

[serrata]

Yes. Even there. Not all of it, thank god, I will live a long and happy life not knowing what you and Dad got up to in your kiosk but we saw enough to know what's going on.

We can still see you now, too, through the cameras, I think.

[burninglight]

Hey.

[Apparently, like this. Ardyn's hand squeezed Yuuri's shoulder, yellow eyes hard set on 'determined' with a bit of frustration.]

I'm...I'm sorry. I made a mistake and I shouldn't have just given in. I shouldn't have left you after all that I said.

I know you don't remember that I promised--I said we would never say 'goodbye'. You hate goodbye. So this isn't the end; no matter what it takes, we're coming back.

[motherfucking_ghost]

[He hates goodbyes. She hates goodbyes. She said goodbye. He refused to say goodbye in the letter.

He rocks back as if struck, blinking stupid like he can't believe any of this is happening right now.]

[burninglight]

Leonard--you don't have to forgive me for dying like that. When I get back, I'll accept if you're furious.

But hold out a while longer, even if it feels unbearable. Please.

[motherfucking_ghost]

I'm not--how could you think--how--I'm--

[misanthropicprinciple]

[Buddy. Junpei puts his other hand on Church's shoulder to hold him there, here, in this plane of existence.]

[burninglight]

Because I've been watching, you utter idiot! I know you're furious, I know you're breaking, and that's entirely my fault!

So I'm telling you, right now, as your king and your fiance, to hold yourself together until I get back to fix this whole godsdamned mess!

[motherfucking_ghost]

You think I'm mad at you?!

[misanthropicprinciple]

It's fine. I... [It's not fine. Nothing is fine. He's on this side of the screen and she's over there, and he examined her body for murder.] Yuuri, I...

[...

There's too much, and not enough of him to get it through. He just puts his hand on the screen. The tears drop silently down his face in big gobs like a goddamn Ghibli movie.]

Yuuri.

[serrata]

[ She laughs, helpless and hiccuping and without even thinking she puts her hand on the screen too, over Junpei's. They're so close, but they're a million miles apart in the way that really matters, but just for a second she can tell herself that the heat of the screen against her palm is the warmth of Junpei's hand. ]

Hi. I missed you so much.

[ There. That's a good start. ]

I'm so, so sorry you're having to do this without us. I promised you I'd stay with you and I couldn't keep it when it really mattered.

[misanthropicprinciple]

Yeah, how about that, huh? How... how're you gonna make it up to me, when we get you out of there?

[He ducks his head again and wipes his eyes on his sleeve, unwilling to pull his one human hand away from the screen. He's not sure if he's crying or laughing or both.]

[serrata]

I'm not sure. But I'll come up with something.

[ There's tears streaming down her cheeks and she probably looks like a mess -- what a shame, she thinks, that the first time Junpei sees her again, she's crying. But she doesn't suppose he'll mind. ]

But I-- listen, okay? I've been watching you all this time and I know how hard it's been. I know it's been awful and I haven't been there to help you. But I need you to know it's-- it's okay. If you feel like you can't do it anymore. It's okay if you're tired.

But please. Please, don't let it break you. Not while I'm on my way back to you.

[ She wishes she could take his hand, press it to her cheek but she'll have to settle for giving him her best and most brilliant smile. ]

I said I was going to come running to find you and I meant it. Even if you don't remember. So... it's okay to let me do the fighting too. Alright?

[misanthropicprinciple]

[He looks up again, red eyes outlined redder from crying and wide with surprise, with how deep that sinks right into the heart of him while he doesn't know why.

He doesn't remember, but she does. She's going to come to him. She says it's okay, it's okay if he wants to give up on everything as long as he doesn't break.

Junpei's hand closes against the screen, like he'd thread his fingers through hers if only the glass weren't there.]

Yuuri.

[Once more, he squeezes his eyes shut, struggling to breathe around the heavy lump in his throat, then nods.]

Okay. All right. I won't... I won't stop throwing myself at this just yet.

[serrata]

I know you won't. Because that's not the Junpei I know and love. Whatever else happens for however long you're in there, just remember that. I love you and I'm fighting tooth and nail to come and find you. We all are.

[ It feels like a weight off her shoulders to tell him. The ouija board and those fractured messages hadn't been enough -- she'd needed to tell him with her own words and see that he understands. ]

I'm so proud of you. So, so proud. Remember that, too.

[misanthropicprinciple]

I love you.

[It's so simple, and he feels it roll through his body like an earthquake, turning over and changing every cell, somehow, these words full of meaning again. This life full of meaning again.

Even now, after everything, that key's hanging above his beating heart.]

I love you, Yuuri. C...come home soon.