Week 8

[airlockedmods]

[This weekend has brought about some unusual questions about your resident robotic Overseer, but unfortunately, you've also lost two more of your own to an accidental death.

You've done your best with the star charts, but if anyone is coming to help you, there is no sign of it yet. SIS remains the only friendly face here, even as you've found that she holds her own secrets. Meanwhile, yet another new floor has opened up - the elevators are in perfect working order now, if any of you care to go and see it. That's four concourses now; one for each of your groups. There's an awful lot of dead, aren't there?]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday


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

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[induality]

[Light the corners of my mind-- wait. Sure does feel like old times though. Fitting, considering what's on her mind.]

It's-- [She usually says it's nothing much, nothing special-- but that's not true in this case.] There's... something I wanted to ask you.

[nightcure]

[ Even if she says it like that, well... She has his full attention. He inclines his head toward her, just a tiny bit. ]

Of course. Go ahead.

[induality]

[Fukawa takes a deep breath and--]

All my life I've been Fukawa. That's... how it works in Japan. Your family name comes first. That's what almost everyone knows you by. You probably wouldn't know it from the way everyone just uses my first name here.

[Except mom. Because mom doesn't understand and that's Okay.]

I've never had a real family... not the kind you'd think of. That's why I didn't understand my profile. Liking my family... I've never once thought of 'liking' or 'loving them'. But-- when... when people started talking about "family here"... I guess I finally realized how I really felt. About Pyrrha, Max, Will, Varric... you.

[Jeez this is embarrassing. But she can't stop. Because if she stopped then her nerves would get the best of her and she'd never get to say what she really wanted to.]

In the letter he left me, Ardyn... he told me that if I wanted it, the Lucis Caelum name could be mine.

But... if... if anyone was going to give me that name-- I'd... w-want it to be you...

[Hooooooo. She. She did it. And immediately after she tries to cover it up with--]

I-it's fine if you say no. After all it's... a lot to ask-- I just...

[nightcure]

[ He listens to her, and he doesn't interrupt. Whatever she has to say... is she a little nervous? Hmm.

... Ah. ]

Touko... [ He doesn't know what to say at first, he's so stunned and... well. There's a warm feeling in his chest, where his heart rests. A slow smile spreads across his lips. ]

It's already yours. [ He means it. He reaches out and gently ruffles her hair. ] For a while, I've thought of you guys as my family. And honestly, I feel like the luckiest person here. Having such a big family? It's more than I could ever wish for.

[ And he pulls her into a hug. ]

Welcome to the family, Touko Lucis Caelum.

[induality]

[Welcome... she's welcome here. More than the family that let her live by obligation alone-- there was a place and people that really wanted her.

Without even realizing it she started crying in his shoulder, hugging him tightly.]

You have... no idea... how happy that makes me...

[nightcure]

[ Oh no?? NO...... He holds her a little tighter, stroking her hair. ]

So these are happy tears, right? [ he says lightly, touching his lips to her forehead. ]

[induality]

[There's a choked sob that's-- it sounds like a small laugh.]

O-of course they are. Nothing... could have made me happier.

[nightcure]

[ He pulls away just briefly so she can see just how brightly he's smiling. ]

That's something we can agree on, for sure. If there's anything I'm glad for because of this place, it's that my family's just gotten bigger.

[induality]

[This doesn't feel like it could possibly be real life. It should clearly be the kind of fiction she cooked up in her head-- except this is beyond even her imagination.]

It's gonna get a lot bigger when we get everyone back, D...

[Okay. If she can call Church 'mom', she can do this.]

D-Dad.

[nightcure]

[ ... Oh.

It catches him off-guard; can you blame him? But... Dad. Noctis never thought he'd ever hear that, never thought anyone would call him that.

Coming from Touko... it feels right. ]

... Dad, huh. Hah... I like the sound of that.

[induality]

[She knew she was doing the right thing, even as she nervously fidgets with something at the collar of her uniform blouse.

"Father" was a title that demanded respect. It was... the title she told Ardyn she would have given him. Even though she loved him no less, in several aspects she still felt they were worlds apart. More than they supported each other, he was willing to drag her along and pull her to her feet when she needed it. She felt like he gave more than she could give back. But at the same time it pushed her to be stronger. So that she could become someone he would be proud of someday. And that was important. But...

"Dad" was... it represented an emotional bond. A faith that said she could trust him with any secret-- whether it was something stupid or something dire. A love that she knew she felt, but was also returned to her. A figure that she looked up too, but could still relate to. And she would gladly do any of those things for him. With him she... didn't feel like she had to change anything. She was fine just the way she was and he was just the kind of parent that would love and accept her no matter what.

To anyone else it might have seemed silly. Even in her head it is a very gray line. But emotionally she understands that it's a distinction she chose with her heart. And it feels right. They were both so, so very important. And they both meant the world to her.]

G-good. That's... good. Because I wasn't going to change my mind.

...I love you.