[ open ] birthday time!

[picky]

WHO: Marcille, Ryoji, and YOU!
WHAT: A party for the April (and May) birthdays!
WHERE: LILICO Game Center in Akihabara
WHEN: April 20th
WARNINGS: TBA

No matter who you are, you receive a text early in the morning from Ryoji (memors):

Good morning! Did you know it's a special someone's birthday today? Actually, we have several birthdays to celebrate, so join us today at the LILICO Game Center! There will be cake! Lots and *lots* of cake. Hope to see you there!

This is an open log, so feel free to tag out or top level or respond to the prompts below. Have fun!

Comments

[eyescar]

[ Sorry all their interactions have been heartbreaking Marcille - ]

It might end up that way, but it's what I'm trying to avoid. More than anything.

[picky]

[ THEIR FIRST ONE WAS CUTE AT LEAST...

She turns and takes Yuji's hand in both of hers. ]

I hope you do. I hope you figure out a way... so you can rest and stop having to think about all of this stuff. You should be living a long, healthy life. You just have this curse...

[ She squeezes his hand. ]

If my best friend could go back home with you for just a little, I know she could have helped. She was— is an amazing magic user.

[eyescar]

[ Yuji smiles, nodding his head. ]

You got it! We're all working together, so there's definitely going to be a good outcome. I have to save him, so I will, no matter what I have to eat.

[ Ah, a bit much, but - ]

... Onee-san, do you want to talk about her?

[picky]

[ Before that. She hunches over, reaches her hand out, and presses two fingers to Yuji's mouth. ]

If you talk about eating fingers again I'm gonna hurl.

[ NOT RIGHT MEOW. 😭 ]

[eyescar]

I wasn’t talking about fingers that time…

[ Rubbing her back. ]

Do you need some water?

[picky]

[ Marcille shakes her head, shoulders swaying a little. ]

'M fine.

[ Her head lolls forward, chin kept down. She is not fine. She's thinking about Falin and how she can disperse vengeful spirits with a whisper. Falin has watched countless corporeal forms rise from their vessels and disappear, finally at peace. Falin speaks softly to small and invisible things around corners and in doorways. She leaves flowers and prayers at gravestones with no names.

If she was here, Marcille would trust her with Yuji. If she was here...

Marcille opens her wet eyes and blinks at their clasped hands until her vision clears. ]

That person you want to save more than anything... I feel the same way about her.

[eyescar]

Oh… Onee-san…

[ She gets it.

When you think of someone who means that much to you, the depth of sadness inside of you and the pure bliss of joy, well… He understands these feelings and emotions too well. When he thinks of Megumi here, all Yuji can feel is happiness, excitement, childish joy and devotion wrapped up together in an orb of affection he can’t pretend to hide.

When he thinks of Megumi at home…

Blinking back his own tears, he moves to wrap his arms around her, to draw her close, to give her all the comfort he can muster and never let her go. He understands. Too well. Too perfectly. ]

I’m sorry that you can understand this feeling, but I’m glad you have someone that special to you.

[picky]

[ Marcille doesn't see it coming, but once Yuji gathers her up, Marcille melts into that hold. She wraps her arms around him and hugs him tight, face squeezed as she presses her nose into his shoulder.

Marcille lives every minute not knowing if she can save her most important person, holding onto a spider's thread of hope that she can make everything right again. If Yuji feels the same way she does, it must be agony for him on top of everything else.

She actively tries not to sob. Her back shivers with the effort. A moment later, after she collects herself, she draws back and wipes her eyes on her sleeves. ]

Thank you. [ Big sniff. She looks at him again, her face splotched red and tear-stained. ]

You're so nice, Yuji. You- You always give me hugs and try to make me feel better.

[ She softly claps her hands on either side of his face, trying to look determined. Nevermind that they're in a public bar and she's still kind of drunk. This is very important and serious. ]

But I've never seen you cry once! Even though all this stuff happened to you. It's okay if you wanna cry too. It really is! You deserve it!

[eyescar]

[ Yuji is feeling exactly the same as she is: the desire to save the person most important to him, something that is so overwhelming and intense that it overtakes any other wish in your body. He knows that he would sacrifice anything and everything to ensure that he is able to save and protect Megumi, even if his friend might not want him to. It's a mirror image of her own desires.

His hand rubs over her back, and he shakes his head, expression sad, but tinged with fondness. ]

You don't need to thank me. It's sad, that we understand each other like this, but at least we have each other right now. It would probably be worse to be alone.

[ 'Probably', as if Yuji isn't intimately aware of how it feels to lose yourself in grief and be totally alone because of it.

The sound of her palms hitting his face make him blink, and then he's laughing softly. ]

Onee-san... I don't need to cry right now.

[picky]

[ She sighs! But his soft laughter does deflate the melancholy atmosphere a little. She juts out her lower lip. ]

Maybe not now, but you should let me comfort you every once in a while too, okay? I'm a good listener, so you can rely on me for things! If you miss someone or something's bothering you or if anything happens with Raidou, you can tell me!

[eyescar]

Huh? What kind of thing could happen with Raidou?

[ Are they gonna break up, do you mean, onee-san? Has Raidou said they're breaking up? WHAT? ]

[picky]

Anything! I mean, it's hypo- hypothetical! Sometimes couples go through things. No relationship is perfect, you know?

[ But she grins. ]

Now that I think about it though, you're both nice boys. I bet nothing like that will happen, right? You'll talk it through! Raidou likes you a whole lot.

[ She gently pinches his cheeks. ]

You two are sooo cute!

[eyescar]

Hey...

[ How long has it been since anyone pinched his cheeks? He can't even remember the grandmas doing it when he was little... But he doesn't stop her. Whatever makes her happy. ]

I like him too... You really think it's 'a whole lot'...?

[ He's a little bit giddy about that. ]

[picky]

I know it is!

[ She loves this—seeing him genuinely happy too. She lets his cheeks go and reaches for his hands again, holding them like a rider holds their reigns. ]

I talked to him about you! The way he posted your smile on the network that one time... I was worried at first, but when I found out he was dating you, I thought it was adorable. He's so intelligent and polite too. [ Squeezes his hands! ] Onee-san approves!