synflux | TRAVEL LOG #2

TRAVEL LOG #2

TRAVEL LOG #2

CONTENT WARNINGS: natural disaster, acid rain, vehicle crash.

▶ 001. WINGING IT.

In the early morning hours of the 1st, Outsiders will receive a rude awakening blaring through their implants. No matter what they do, the alarm will not stop sounding until they are forced to get up. A message will flash through their vision:

ALL OUTSIDERS ARE TO REPORT TO THE HANGAR IMMEDIATELY FOR DEPARTURE

Get up, get dressed in your plugsuit, and it’s time to go! Once they report at the hangar, they will be met with a huge spacecraft, large enough to fit at least 80 people. This will be their mode of transport to their next location.

"My Angels of Lilith. You are needed once again. We have received distress signals from the neighbouring country of South Korea. Unfortunately, since we have not established data portals in that country, we require you to embark via air. Your aircraft is ready for you and your seats have been assigned. I bid you a safe journey."

True enough, there are more than enough seats on the LILITH SKY CRUISER to accommodate every Outsider, and to get everyone organized quickly for departure, all Outsiders will receive a seat number. Like any plane, seats are rather cramped and there isn’t much leg room. Once the seatbelt sign is off, Outsiders are free to stand up and move around the cruiser, but they might have to climb over other people or make the whole row stand up to give them room. The aircraft is serviced by robotic stewards serving light snacks of nuts and crackers, and coconut crab kimbap and seaweed soup at meal time. Any characters who use a cloaking device will be instructed to use it during the flight to accommodate the aircraft. Also, any characters who rely on a weapon or anything else (such as a Gundam), it will be loaded onto the cargo of the aircraft.

The flight will take about 2-3 hours. Outsiders may take a nap, chat or try the inflight entertainment available. This inflight entertainment is delivered through a virtual reality headset. Outsiders may pick a selection of AI movies of questionable quality, along with several virtual reality games. There are single player or multiplayer options available for every game.

Available games include:

The Sims 30: One player gets to become the ‘god’ of a world and build houses or dictate the lives of other players and NPCs within the game as they see fit.
Farm Crossing: A farming simulator game where players get to build and manage their own farms. Harvest your crops and tend to your animals! Impress the friendly villagers in the town with your beautiful ranch!
Tales of Heroes: A fantasy game where players are reborn into a world of monsters and magic and have to level up by fighting monsters and slaying demons.
And many more … (Feel free to design your own VR games.)

Eventually, the sky cruiser will touch down on Incheon Airport. There’s no need to be stuck waiting in line at immigration... it appears as if the Incheon Airport has not been used in decades and seems completely abandoned with the exception of the Outsiders. The old scanning machines and luggage belts are simply collecting dust. Outsiders will be ushered immediately to the nearest train station, where they will continue their journey by train.

▶ 002. WELCOME TO SEOUL.

Once descended from the train ride, they will have arrived in the city of Seoul, South Korea. Similar to Neo Tokyo, a lot of the people on the outskirts moved to this area in order to receive shelter and the benefits of being amongst civilization, rather than fending for themselves. As such, there is a certain hustle and bustle, but considering the state of their dilapidated airports and most of the other cities falling to ruin, there definitely is a more somber vibe to the city. Despite that, the residents carry on and there is no shortage of shopping, food stalls (mostly with foods that are not easy to perish), cafes, pojangmacha to have a late night food or drink at, and many more smaller businesses. The people are resilient and have every single desire to continue making a living. As such the prices here are competitive and Outsiders will find if they look hard enough, there are some fairly good deals to be made. Currency exchange is no issue, as KRYPTOS is the universal currency.

Since a lot of efforts were made to keep Seoul intact, there are still some important sights that were kept up and can be visited if desired. While LILITH urges people to keep their eyes peeled out for any clues to the next kaiju’s whereabouts, Seok Dang may or may not have sent each Outsider a map of the best sightseeing amongst many other not-so-innocent suggestions. He calls it the difference of experiences and “doesn’t want anyone missing out!” If people check back on the message a day later, they will find it was almost as if it didn’t exist at all. On the list, however, includes sights like the Gyeongbokgung Palace, COEX mall and aquarium, Seoul Sky, and many others. However, some of them may or may not exist anymore. How long was he out of the country for? For an extra “freebie” he throws in, Outsiders will find an odd message on their style upgrade saying there is a new outfit available, when opened, it will download a hanbok that they can wear at any time.

"Well, well. Unfortunately, whatever fun could have been planned will need to be halted just a mere two and a half days to get settled. Once again, a message will be produced on everyone’s oculars suggesting an emergency is on the horizon. Guess we better get to that instead of showing you my home country!"

And Seok Dang wonders why he is the Commander's least favorite.

Beep! An alert pops up on the Outsiders' ocular devices. According to the information LILITH just received, there is not just one large kaiju occupying this region, but two. In order to chase both of these leads, Outsiders are split into two groups in order to chase these two kaiju. They have described these kaiju as being very agile and fast, but resembling a serpent from the few sightings that have been spotted. As for the rift that it originated from, there is no sign of a rift in South Korea. Did it migrate here from somewhere else? More details will pour into the Outsider's devices as soon as possible, but for now, Outsiders are called to pursue the hunt.

▶ 003. TEAM SEOUL.
_EVERLIGHT_&_REDEMPTION

Within the next hour, rain will begin to fall upon the city, but this is far from the average summer shower. The precipitation doesn’t seem weather-related as much as it does seem to be a proponent of the kaiju’s abilities. They find this when studying the rain itself, which is acidic to the touch. While the buildings and other structures will remain sound, the people will need to evacuate quickly in order to avoid any lingering effects to the skin. Skin contact with the acid rain will cause both minor and severe burning, depending on how quickly it is rinsed off with normal water. At the first discovery of the acid rain's danger, Outsiders will be commanded to press a button on their plugsuit on the left shoulder, activating an invisible helmet to keep their heads and faces safe.

The Outsiders’ plug suits prevent them from receiving any damages from the rain, but that’s certainly not the case for everyone else. The first team, made up of the members of Everlight and Redemption are to prioritize the initial evacuation of the people, especially those who live slightly outside of the city limits of Seoul. They are the most vulnerable during crises like these and will need to be pulled from their homes, and those who live in the basement shelters will need to be pulled to one higher ground in case of potential flooding with the acid rain. Individuals who have skills in healing will also be called forth in order to tend to the injuries of those who are saved.

Between evacuation, there will also be tidbits of information provided to those on the team that remains in Seoul to check out specific locations in order to figure out more about this kaiju. The first location listed is Gyeongbokgung Palace. Outsiders that remain in Seoul will be utilizing that as their base. They are set to look at any remains the kaiju may have left behind. Any findings are commanded to be surrendered to LILITH. Emergency response of South Korea will use this palace as a safe haven, providing cots for sleeping overnight and other emergency supplies.

▶ 004. TEAM BUSAN.
_BRIMSTONE_&_REVELATION

The second team will depart via train on a journey to the city of Busan. The journey is expected to take 2 hours, and while there are comfortable seats available on the train, any luxuries beyond that are minimal. At least LILITH has brought along a few VR headsets for whoever wants to kill time with games or bad movies? Anyone can sit where they'd like for this ride.

An hour into the trip, a loud crash is suddenly heard, with the entire train rocking and falling to its side. This causes a complete blackout throughout the train and it stops functioning completely, leaving Outsiders stranded within the pitch black tunnel. The train system is completely inoperable in this condition. Outsiders will need to make their own journey to the city, following the rails by foot and helping any Outsiders who happened to be injured in the crash. It’ll be dark within the tunnel, but light will soon emerge once they exit it, and they will find themselves at the foot of Mount Geumjeong.

From then on, they’ll need to put their trekking skills to the test and cross the mountainous, forested region, where they will encounter various local fauna such as snakes, deer and black bears. They will also spot many destroyed villages and temples on their way to Busan. However, evidence of the Kaiju can be found in both the subway tunnel and throughout the mountain trek, suggesting that the kaiju has moved through here. This encourages LILITH to keep Outsiders in this area. The Outsiders will need to make a campsite in one of the destroyed villages, though emergency response will also pay them a visit several days later with sleeping cots and emergency supplies. In the meantime, hopefully they brought enough food with them or know how to forage and hunt for food in the wilderness. Some of those berries out there are poisonous....

The team here will be encouraged to explore the area to find further traces of the kaiju and help any villagers who are still alive.

▶ 005. STATUS REPORT.

Promptly, at the same time, all Outsiders will receive a text message and be put in an encrypted chat-room: OPERATION: RED/BLUE
CODENAME:
LOCATION:
STATUS:
FINDINGS:
Outsiders are instructed to fill out this information and send it into the chat to communicate with one another.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to our second travel log!

Characters do have ASSIGNED SEATS for the duration of their flight to Incheon airport, though there are just enough empty seats that some characters can move around if they really don't like their seat buddies. Teams BRIMSTONE and REVELATION will be traveling to Busan, while teams EVERLIGHT and REDEMPTION will be staying in Seoul.

RNG below to discover what your character will find in both Seoul and Busan respectively. For the STATUS REPORT Prompt, treat it as an open chat room for all Outsiders and respond to the HEADER COMMENT. Feel free to threadjack and discuss among yourselves. You may also include this as a text prompt in your top level if you would like for people just to reply to you instead of using the header comment.

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards August AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. WINGING IT: Characters are told to head to the hangar for DISPATCH to SOUTH KOREA where reports of a kaiju have been seen. Characters sit in their assigned seats for a short air travel ride.

2. WELCOME TO SEOUL: We arrive in Seoul and are given orders to split into two teams: Everlight & Redemption in Seoul, Brimstone & Revelation in Busan. Seok Dang has tried to sneak in some sight seeing in between mission briefs, but it looks like there won't be much time for that, as two kaiju have been found in South Korea.

3. TEAM SEOUL: Everlight & Redemption deal with acid rain in Seoul, ushering civilians to refuge, tending to acidic burns and using Gyeongbokgung Palace as a makeshift base. Investigation hints at the kaiju being somewhere in this area as Outsiders find claws, teeth, droppings and other things that belong to a dragon-like creature.

4. TEAM BUSAN: Brimstone & Revelation board a train to Busan which has an outage, trapping them to travel along the tunnel in the dark. They arrive at the end of the tunnel at the foot of Mount Geumjeong and create a makeshift base in the village there. Investigation hints at the kaiju being somewhere in this area as Outsiders find claws, teeth, droppings and other things that belong to a dragon-like creature.

5. STATUS REPORT: Outsiders are encouraged to share their findings and speculations on the kaiju in an encrypted chat room.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[So many things left unsaid that should be spoken, even if in hushed tones. A couple of idiots, them. Smitten goober idiots.

Meanwhile for him, exhaustion seems to have turned off his inhibitions, letting out his more playful side. Or maybe he's just hit that point where he thinks he's dreaming and is behaving how he would in a fantasy version of his life. Who can tell with Yato? For being so easy to read usually he does have his moments of caginess.

Her mumbling earns a quiet laugh as his lips brush over her knuckles. So damn cute.] You can tuck me in, then. Or you could always join me~

[Hopefully they won't be reunited in the medic tent before the kaiju is taken care of. It'll be his first time facing one, and while he did get a sword from a kind fellow Outsider, he hasn't had ample time to practice with it yet. It's going to be strange fighting without Sekki and having his borderlines to rely on.

Humming softly at her further attention, he turns her hand over to kiss her palm gently. Eyes never leaving her despite being half-lidded. Like he doesn't want to let her out of his sight.]

It is. I left it open for other people, but I guess everyone's managed to find a place to settle down for the night. Are you comfy? Warm enough? I could see about finding another blanket or pillow if you need more...

[ playful or flirty or whatever it is, it's keeping hiyori's mind off darker thoughts. she's grateful for yato. once again. god of fortune, indeed.

god of something. god of pushing her buttons. they're a little different now. she looks at him closely, trying to figure out if he's still teasing or if he's being serious. because what if she says yes? and it turns out he was joking. she would cringe into herself. okay, that's dramatic but it'd be humiliating.

whatever she saw there, she forgets promptly following him kissing her palm. and him looking at her like that. please.... mercy...... those eyes. throw her a floatie, she is drowning.

all of a sudden, she sits up and the blanket falls to her lap. ]

No, I couldn't - I'm okay, this is fine. I've slept at my desk plenty of times. More than I can count... that doesn't matter. Yato, did you have any plans to sleep?

[Maybe he instinctively knows that this is a trying time for them both and is just acting like his goofball self as a protective measure. Or maybe he is just a lovesick fool who's taking every opportunity to lay on the charm.

God of Being Insufferable, surely, whichever goal he's aiming for. Under her scrutiny though, he fidgets a bit out of nervousness and glances away, finally faltering. It's a dangerous game they're playing, and he's not sure where to draw the line, yet he feels like he's toeing it to a dangerous degree.

It doesn't last long, however. Despite his misgivings, he's simply unable to keep his eyes away from her. Moth to a flame and all that. One who'd willing burn up in order to stay close to his precious light.

His brows raise a hair as she gives up on lying down but thankfully he doesn't try to make her lay back down. Just yet, anyway.]

Just because you've done it a lot doesn't mean it's good for you, y'know. [He almost sounds scolding, but her question catches him off guard, leaving him stammering moments later.] O-Of course I did! Don't be silly. [Lying. Through. His. Teeth.]

[ from the start, it was never a game for her. inviting her to join him in bed is... certainly dangerous, though. she changes her mind about something in the moment he glances away nervously after her careful consideration.

as if she could invite him to share the cot.

although if she doesn't bodily drag him into it to take her place after that bad and blatant lie. TO HER FACE. ]

I know it isn't good for me, just like I know that not planning to sleep is just as bad for you. [ for his lie, he gets hiyori tossing off the blanket so it's at the foot of the cot and moving to get out of it. pro: plug suit. con: annoyed, stubborn hiyori. ]

If you're not sleeping, I'm not. There's gotta be some high-grade coffee energy drink thing I can get.

[ because that'll work. she's out of options. and brainpower. there's a point or something to be made though. somewhere. ]

[Always foiling himself, that's Yato, it seems. He'd like nothing better than to crawl right into bed with her, like they used to back at Songerein. To feel her warm, soft skin again, have her sweet breath lulling him into a sense of security like nothing else can...

But he won't do that to her. It's too soon for starters, and for another thing the cot is so small that she probably wouldn't be able to sleep well like that. So it's a no-go.

And yet if it ends up being the only way to get her to rest, he'll damned sight do it. For as she starts climbing out of bed, his eyes go wide before narrowing dangerously. Snatching up the blanket, he tucks it in around her legs and starts trying to tug them back onto the cot.]

Oh no, we're not having any of that. It'd be bad enough that one of us doesn't get good rest, I'm not having us both exhausted. You're human, Hiyori. And a doctor! You know what sleep deprivation does to a body. Now get your ass back into bed and lay down.

[Once he's got her feet squared away, he turns his attention to the rest of her, gently shoving her down by the shoulders. This might end up as a fight if she protests too much...]

[ considering how well she slept on his back when he carried her, maaaaybe she would.

something is irritating about yato calling her human. so???? even though, you know, she is. less so about him calling her a doctor. she breathes sharply out of her nose. yes, she knows what happens to sleep-deprived people. there's a multitude of things. irritatibily not the least of which. difficult concentrating. managing problems. regulating emotions. reduced strength and balance. slower reaction time. bad coordination. mood swings. the list goes on. all terrible to have when going up against a monster. when fighting a war. ]

But I'm not going to fight on the front lines like I know you are if something happens...! [ she hisses at him, eyes fierce as he shoves her down. as the staring contest goes on, a trickle of the fight bleeds out of her and she huffs but it softens her eyes. he's worried.

so is she. ]

Could you put yourself in my position? Yato, if our roles were switched. I know you get tired, too. I know you are tired and you're not going to sleep? If something happened to you because I didn't fight you on this, I'd... [ she doesn't want to imagine it. she's already had to when he left a tiny shrine with her. ]

You're a god and I'm a human, fine, but I'm just as worried as you are. I'm - [ the stone resolve in her eyes quivers. ] I'm afraid.

[Maybe because she's taking it to mean somehow lesser or weaker than a deity, which is not his intention at all. Merely to highlight the fact she's made of flesh and blood like all mortal creatures, and thus has their limitations. Same as he isn't impervious to exhaustion and its side effects, either. Which is probably why despite their initial glaring contest, it ends up softening into something more akin to concern. Though his voice still comes out harsher and louder than he means to in the darkness, causing him to wince and look around in case they've disturbed anyone.]

That may be true, but--! [Finally, his resolve melts away with a long sigh. He doesn't want to argue or fight against her, not for anything even if it is important. They'll just end up wearing themselves out by taking forever to decide who gets to sleep first and best. Plus she has a point. If he was in her position, he'd want her to get the most rest. He won't try to deny that.]

Hiyori...

[Giving up on forcing her to lay down, he instead places a hand on her cheek, expression softening until he's just about smiling. Seems there's only one course of action that'll satisfy them both. So he undoes his boots and snatches up the blanket before placing a knee on the cot and sliding onto it in such a way that she ends up resting on top of him. Once that's done, he drapes their shared blanket over her back, tucking it around her shoulders.]

There. Will this satisfy you for now? Here, though-- You can have the pillow. [He tugs it out from beneath his head, nestling it on his shoulder so she'll have somewhere comfy to rest her head. Then he brushes the hair back from her face.] Nothing to be afraid of... I'll be fine.

[ is he not made of flesh and blood? divine flesh and blood but nuance.

she doesn't know what to make of him uttering her name or putting his palm on her face, but his soft look all but completely breaks her determination to pieces. she DEFINITELY doesn't know what to make of him taking off his boots and getting into the cot with her other than sputtering a bit as the length of her body (in plug suit) lays against his (in a plug suit). ]

W-wait...!

[ will this satisfy her...? no? yes??? she's going red when she doesn't need to be going red. a quick look around yields a few things. 1) it's dark enough they probably won't be noticed. 2) they aren't the only ones sharing a cot. body warmth is the best source of heat and after everything - being close to a loved one in grim circumstances - could be the comfort someone needs.

3) she.... likes.... having yato beneath her on a bed.

no. put that away. put that thought away RIGHT NOW. ]

I believe you, but- [ she adjusts her position a bit and is VERY CAREFUL about doing so until she's laid more against his hip and settles her head on the offered pillow at his shoulder. unable to resist, she nuzzles a bit into it with a sigh and drops her voice to murmurs. ] I'd rather be sure you're at least rested. I think I saw someone outside with a small campfire [ it's laios. ] so we can try for food, later.

[ hiyori, yato's personal medic now. his worry about her being uncomfortable was misplaced, though. quicker than you would expect, hiyori settles against him like she's done this a hundred times. comfort of a loved one. ]

[That's true. It's hardly fair to try pulling that card when he himself bleeds just the same.

Perhaps it's far too soon to be sharing a bed, even innocently enough like they are. Maybe he should've asked first in order to make sure Hiyori was okay with this in the first place, but it's a little late for that now. His face is changing to the same color as her eyes almost, heat flooding him all over, especially once she's tugged flush against his own suit-covered body.

It's... a weird sensation, having their plugsuits sliding against one another. Not bad, but definitely strange. In fact it's almost as good as having her nightgown-covered self beside him, not that he's going to dare say that. He's made a vow to himself to do his best not to compare Hiyori to her younger self. She's still the same person, the girl he loves. That will never change, he's sure of.

Which is why he only has a bad case of the nerves about progressing things too quickly; he doesn't want to spoil what they have, force their relationship in a direction they're not ready for. But if it gets them both to sleep soundly... it'd be worth it, right...?

He just hope his body doesn't betray him. That would be mortifying. And may lead to pain.]

We both need to be rested for tomorrow. Not one or the other, but both. [For a while he stares up at the ceiling, pointedly avoiding putting his face too close to hers. Though that leaves the question of where to place his hands... Eventually he settles for tucking them both in by his hips, accidentally drawing them closer.] Make sure you eat first, okay? You know I don't need it myself.

[He does indeed like this personal attention, especially coming from Hiyori of all people. It's extra nice once she settles down against him, making his heart flutter in such a way that he can't help worrying she'll feel it.]

[ it is very slippery, latex on latex feeling. she has the traitorous, unnecessary thought that skin would feel better and promptly shoves that wherever the I like Yato beneath me thought went. sleep deprivation MUST be affecting her because she is not, this isn't normal...

YATO IS THE PERVERT OK.

while yato stares at the ceiling and reminds her he's worried like she is and she can't argue lest become a hypocrite, hiyori keeps her attention on the blanket draped over their bodies. ] Both. [ the second he moves even a little bit though, she's warm. and this plug suit, again, is too tight. and is she breathing too loud? is she heavy...?

if she hears his fluttering heart, it's not over hers drumming in her ears. ]

You don't need it, but you like it and it makes you feel better. Or else you wouldn't drink so often or look so happy when I brought you melty cheesy buns, Yato. [ she pauses and lifts herself a little to look down at him. locking the door on her thought box. ]

Nobody is more important than the other. You're not going to convince me to choose myself over you.

[Their sliding against one is certainly... interesting. To put it mildly and politely and non-perversely. If he were to voice those actual uncensored thoughts, they'd be more along the lines of omg Hiyori's boobs are touching me holy shit among other things that'd get him smacked into the next week.

Because he is definitely a pervert. Just not the only one in this bed apparently.

Not that he's going to let it show if he can at all help it. There's not time for things to get awkward between them, not with further missions to deal with tomorrow. Still, it doesn't take long before he finds himself glancing back down to her, the corners of his lips threatening to quirk up in amusement. They're both so damn stubborn. It's no wonder she's a match for him, the one who can incite a riot in his heart.]

Heh... You got me there. So I guess we'll just have to share whatever food's available. [He's still gonna give her the bigger portion, though. Whether she likes it or not, humans need food for nourishment and gods don't.] ...I'm glad you remember that, though.

[Because one of the things he was terrified of upon hearing that she'd forgotten about him for ten years was that her memories might have faded.] I never said that either of us was. Though if you won't prioritize yourself, then I guess that means I'll have to instead.

[Just for good measure, he suddenly leans up, pressing his lips to her cheek as his own burn.]

[ NODGKLJDG SHE'S NOT A PERVERT (maybe just........ kinda thirsty?????????? not as much as yamachan was but yknow. like. ENOUGH. to notice.)

sharing is better than yato giving it all up to her. good luck getting away with giving her the bigger portion, though. she fed you french fries, yato, she's not afraid to feed you whatever it is they manage to scrounge up.

when yato finishes kissing her cheek, hiyori's cheeks burn much hotter than his. there are some things to unpack. for one, yato is glad she remembers he likes booze and melty cheese buns. she wishes she never forgot. all of those memories were there, waiting for her to find again — every moment. from their first meeting to his goodbye.

we shall meet again. how hard she fought to chase him down and beg him to come home. her tail being mauled. being severed...

kissing is unfortunately turning out to be an effective way to win arguments. and distract her. ]

Y-you, I... God of Fortune. [ he's that. AMONG OTHER THINGS BUT HHHHH. still flushed, she lays her head down somewhere between his chest and shoulder instead of directly on the pillow. he can prioritize her and she'll prioritize him. ]

- I remember most of that year now, Yato. Do you remember how you said the shrine came with you? My diary came with me. From my first year of high school. It's been missing from my collection, so I've been reading the entries and remembering. You were... a popular topic for me to write about.

[ every single entry. ]

[Embrace your inner perv, Hiyori! That way leads to freedom...! (And possibly more than they'd bargain for, so yeah... perhaps keeping the perv inside is a good idea for now.)

Would it help to say he was force fed water and toast earlier by a mama bird friend?? Though if she insists he take the larger portion it may end up being another battle of wills. Or maybe they can resort to rock-paper-scissors to decide who gets the most. That might be the most fair way.

Good thing it's dark enough that it's nearly impossible to see the deep flush to their cheeks, otherwise they both might be stuttering a lot more than they already are. For Yato is plenty happy to just have Hiyori with her memories intact, even if she doesn't recall being in Songerein. They can continue to make new memories, together.

Like this night. He won't ever forget the press of her body against his, the warmth seeping through to make him feel safe and loved in a way unlike anything else. Except for maybe being called that. It makes him blink and wonder what's going through her mind, yet too fearful to ask in case there's some lingering bad thoughts.]

Hiyori... [In some ways he wishes he had a another name to call her by, a pet name or nickname. Something special. But Hiyori will always remain Hiyori in his eyes. even if something happened to change that. With her nestled down partially on him, he takes to stroking her hair gently, letting his fingers lightly tangle in the strands.]

It... It did? And you do? [His eyes gradually light up at the news, heart taking yet another leap towards his throat before he swallows it back down.] Ah, yeah, I know-- [Oops.] Er-- I mean, I'm not surprised, with how often we hung out. I... I miss those days... Of just spending them peacefully together with you and Yukine.

[ YOU HUSH. a good idea for now.

yato does need at least two mama bird friends (hiyori + yukine, usually) at all times. this only makes sense. actually, the more mama bird friends the better. he had daikoku at times, too, to put some sense into him. not to mention everyone else she remembers. all the people who supported yato as he touched their hearts.

anyway, yeah, battle of wills. for sure. could be funny?! could look a lot like a married couple bickering. they've been mindful of the people around them for the most part. keeping their arguing to hisses and concerned looks and frowns until now. any bad thoughts don't last for long.

he's saying her name again and she buries her face a little against him. especially when he decides to take up playing with her hair, too. it starts to lull her to sleep and she was nearly there already. ] Mmmhm. [ she hums in reply. it did and she does. she doesn't quite catch onto his fumble with I know. ]

You'll get them back. [ maybe not here but one day. ] I was planning on visiting Kofuku's once in a while. And if you wanted to be the patron deity for the hospital... to watch out for ayakashi... protect the patients. That sort of thing.

Yukine-kun probably keeps you busy, though. [ into his chest, she smiles. ]

Edited (😩) 2024-08-06 07:22 (UTC)

[Yatogami requires at least two (2) babysitters to keep him in line, so they can either tag team him or gang up when he gets particularly unruly. Maybe that's why he fell off the wagon in such short order: missing his guidepost and being separated from Hiyori for most of the day. Hopefully despite his missteps he'll be able to touch people's hearts here, too.

Definitely amusing to anyone not bothered by the noise they'd make. Because there's no denying that they do often seem like an old married couple, with their arguments rarely getting so heated as to be uncomfortable. He could never truly be angry with Hiyori, only worried and filled with concern.

Which he feels slightly now regarding her need to rest, yet thankfully she seems to be gradually relaxing against him, making him melt into the cot as he slowly leans his head against hers, hand never ceasing to pet her. He does let out a quiet sigh of relief that she seems to have missed his little slip up. Last thing he wants is to upset her into waking up.]

...yeah. You're probably right. [There's never a guarantee in life. There are plenty of surprises, however. Suddenly alert at the mention of being her hospital's patron deity, he blushes furiously at the offer.] I-- I'd like that... on both accounts. Seeing you more often, protecting your hospital...

[Keeping her safe.] He might, but I doubt he'd begrudge me time spent watching over your place. We both l-- Want you to be free to work in peace. [Moving his hand down to her upper back, he hugs her ever so slightly to his chest.]

[ he will. he's yato.

and it's because he's yato that she could never be angry long enough with him, either. not even for cutting her ties. or hiding things from her. if he needs to keep his secrets, that's okay. everyone has them. does she still want to know them? uh, yeah. definitely.

yato's voice, quiet and intimate, coupled with his fingers continuously running through her hair is more soothing than she could've imagined. she's able to daydream, or nightdream she supposes, about foolish things. like doing this every night. and getting old together. about those old proposals of his and how overwhelmed she was by his melodrama. but, despite that, how often she flocked to his side.

with that little consciousness she has left, she can sense his embarrassed sentimentalism from the offer. shame she's way too comfortable to lift her head and see his flushed face.

we both l...?

or maybe she can lift her head a little, looking up at him from his chest. yukine didn't begrudge him chasing her around her nightly jogs, at least. ]

I didn't ask how your day went. [ he was very focused on hers, to be fair. taking what she said to his heart to make her happy. maybe there's something she can do... ] What trouble are you getting into?

Edited 2024-08-06 08:27 (UTC)

[One of these days, when they're not rescuing civilians and fighting kaiju, they'll have to have a nice night together to just get all their questions out in the open. Have a kind of friend Q&A with drinks and food! They have so much to catch up on, at least from his viewpoint. And there's still plenty he never told her.

Meanwhile for Yato, he's more lost in the moment of simply enjoying the contact between them. Not in a far too intimate way with how their bodies move against one another (not too much, anyway) but simply the feel of Hiyori's breathing being perfectly synced up with his own, the softness of her hair and firm yet yielding of her back muscles. He doesn't want to part from her and thus hopes morning remains a fair distance away so they can just enjoy the quiet together.

When she lifts her head, they almost meet nose to nose, breath intermingling as Yato regards her with wide eyes and still heated cheeks. The urge to just kiss her is immense, but he shows restraint for once today. And this despite the amount of booze he ingested.]

Not a lot--! I scoped out the area, both around here and at the aquarium - did you know it's still standing? We should go sometime. And then I went and got myself something to eat. [He debates on stopping there, yet it'd feel like lying to her and he can't do that. So he continues.] ...and drink.

[So yeah, he's still his boozy self. It hasn't been that long for him, okay?]

[ ah, friendzoned. jkjk.

they've got a few hours at least. resting like this is more rest than she would've gotten if she didn't run into yato. if they didn't have each other's best interests at heart. if hiyori wasn't there to see yato slumped against the wall, if yato didn't all but force hiyori into the cot, they'd be running themselves ragged. liable to mistakes.

though yato's wide eyes and proximity registers, she doesn't get as flustered as she might typically get. she inhales deep, expecting a smell, but it's much more subtle. gnawing hunger she doesn't understand isn't present. just this sense of peace.

during such a turbulent time, it's a benediction. he is. she doesn't pull away but her brow furrows. mental note: go to aquarium. ] I think... Seok Dang mentioned it. We can go if you - wh, you went drinking? Yato, you- [ it looks like she may get annoyed but, after a moment, her face relaxes again. she sits up a bit more on his chest, her focus back. ]

You feel that bad? [ yato enjoyed his booze but he was particularly BOOZY when something was on his mind. she can guess what. ] Is it nervousness? Ugh, but you really shouldn't drink. I know you can hold your liquor and hangovers aren't a thing for gods and you consider beer a medicine but-

[Noooo not the friendzone--!

The same goes for him, as he would've continued to sit against that wall and tried to sleep that way. Thankfully by having her care about him and he her, they'll both manage to at least relax, knowing they're safe in each other's arms.

Daring to be a bit bold, he leans just a smidge closer, bumping noses with the faintest hint of a bashful smile. Every bit of contact sends a pleasant jolt down his spine and makes his stomach do little flips and flops out of sheer joy of having Hiyori back again despite her technically having never left.

Though it's tempered somewhat by her sudden concerned scolding, causing him to fall back and look away, shamefaced. Seems like she still knows him all too well. With a sigh he lets his hands slide from her back in order to grant her the space necessary to prop herself up. The better to get on his case, he assumes.]

Just a little... [Okay, maybe more than a little if his hesitation is any indication.] It's not that I'm nervous! And I know it's a bad idea to get sloshed before something important, but it's... It's...

[Sighing heavily, he starts idly plucking at the blanket draped over them, pointedly avoiding her eyes. He knows he should get his concerns off his chest, but it doesn't come easily. Eventually, though:]

I mean, this is gonna be my first time fighting with just a normal sword instead of one of my shinki or dreamotion swords. I don't know how effective I'll be. If I'll just get in the way, or if I'll look like a totally useless fool.

[ we'll get back to the nose bumping because something awakens in her when he does it and she has an idea about something she can do that he may want. first:

yeah, it was more than a little. and he is nervous. he's avoiding her eyes too much. she's expecting to have to coax it out of him, carefully get him to open up or else have him clam up out of his just as powerful stubbornness sos he's a little (just like he's a little nervous) surprised he does it on his own.

she listens, lips parting. how can he say he's not nervous?

from where her hands were, one holding his side and the other flattened on his chest, they come up to cup his face until he DOES look at her. ]

Yato. [ in the haze of low light, hiyori smiles at him like she's bewildered that he could ever doubt how amazing he is. it happens to the best of us. ] You're a god. You've had hundreds of years of experience fighting all sorts of things. Whether you're a God of War or a God of Happiness, once you get out there, I know that you'll know exactly what you need to do.

... Not having Yukine-kun by your side must be scary, but you're not useless. There's nobody more qualified to be able to help save humanity than you, in my opinion. Have faith in yourself. There will be others fighting at your side, too. And I'll be looking out for you.

[What he doesn't mention is that it's not only his own performance he's concerned about. He's honestly terrified for Hiyori to be here where there's giant monsters roaming around when she doesn't have her ayakashi abilities. She has no way to flee but her own two feet should the creature come after non-combatants. It's enough to make damn near anybody want to drink.

And try to avoid revealing the depths of their fears. He has to be strong for her, his usual confident self. The proud and capable Yatogami. Though he's hardly doing as much by dodging her gaze and admitting his weaknesses. It makes him feel so damn pathetic, though he wants to be honest with her, too.

Finally, with her coaxing his eyes drift back to take hers in somewhat guiltily. He's probably just making her fret more with his insecurities. Idiot.

And yet with just a few sentences Hiyori manages to almost bring him to tears, leaving his eyes glistening in the low light.]

Hiyori... [Just saying her name is comfort to him, like a magic spell that eases all his worries.] ...thank you. For believing in me despite everything. [His failure to allow their ties to continue, whatever happened to precipitate that. Swallowing hard, he nods slowly.]

It really is kind of frightening to have only a human-made sword for a weapon but if you think I can handle it, then I will. I feel like I can accomplish so much more with you by my side. And even if we're not together, you'll still be close in my heart. Just... promise me you'll stay safe, alright...?

[ he wouldn't be the only one who has a healthy dose of fear for what's coming. yet, now that she has her memories back, she remembers facing monsters. recalling her flailing her legs at ayakashi in a panic nearly brought her to laughter.

he doesn't have to worry too much, though. unless absolutely necessary, hiyori realizes she's of the most use with the other medics, healers, and support line. while she's tough, she's not a god. she has enough skill to defend herself but save the world? that's up yato's alley. though he doesn't seem to believe in himself to do so.

he doesn't have to do anything. and, if ANYTHING, she's glad he can... be vulnerable with her. he never let himself before. not really. is that songerein hiyori's doing, too?

she only smiles softly at his thanks, leaning her forehead into his and closing her eyes as she listens to more confessions. ] Promise. [ there's no staying safe for yato, as much as she wants it to be. ]

Promise you'll come to me if you get hurt, too. I don't care if it's only a scratch. I'll take care of you.

[The ironic thing is that at times he has more faith in her being able to rescue him than being capable of saving people himself, though that's mostly his father's fault for trying to destroy his confidence at every turn.

That's why it causes Yato such anxiety to be split up from Hiyori - not being able to at least keep an eye on her, to know she's within reach in case it's not her who needs him, but he who needs her. She's not wrong about it being her other self's doing that's finally allowed him to show weakness around her, though if he has his way, he'll never tell the exact cause - that he basically died.

Instead, he returns her smile with one of his own, savoring their closeness and the warmth that comes through their suits. Not quite as nice as regular clothes, but certainly more intimate.]

Heh. I can handle a few scratches, don't you think? [He teases lightly, brushing their noses together.] But I promise that once it's all over, I'll let you tend to any wounds I get. Fair enough?

[ she's going to destroy his father. again.

whereas hiyori hasn't seen yato in ten years, yato has been with hiyori every day in songerein for ten months. she's not oblivious to that fact, though she is about the details of it. maybe, in that world, she and yato wound around each other like two stray cats like this all the time. cuddled up in one tiny cot to keep warm isn't something she would have done in her own (despite the idea coming to her) but she can't say she hates it either.

but it seems like he needed it if the way he's relaxed this much says anything. she did, too. it's been, what, years? since she's felt so at ease. ]

No. I foresee you crying about me sterilizing the wound. [ she shoots back, warmth flooding through her as he gets closer. ] ... Fair. And thank you, Yato.

[ this close, the moment, there's no denying it anymore. old habits die hard. just to make sure though... she's pulling the thin blanket over their heads suddenly. her eyes flash with ocular light in the darkness, extremely close and burgundy pink, before she leans in.

kisses him soundly on the mouth. ]

[He would happily take her up on that offer, for sure.

They may not have been so entwined that they resembled a pair of stray cats in love in Songerein, but they certainly were close enough that for Yato, sharing a bed is less weird than it is familiar. Even if Hiyori here has more prominent curves and almost matches him for height, the press of their bodies is something he finds soothing. And it conveys through the gentle stroking of her back and the way he brushes her hair back from her face now and then.

He's so grateful that she not only doesn't seem to mind such an intimate display of affection, but is actually embracing it wholly. His heart would've broken some if she'd turned him down or outright rejected him.]

Heh... You're probably right. It'd hurt and I'd make a big fuss over it... [His smile is warm on his lips, as his his breath on hers, yet he doesn't dare cross that thin line between friendly and romantic. Even if this is hardly something friends would do.] No, thank you, Hiyori. For caring about me and wanting to make sure I'm alright.

[Because that says so much coming from her. As does the way she hides them beneath the blanket, surprising Yato momentarily as he regards her curiously, wondering if his eyes are similarly bright - though he knows they're nowhere as beautiful, at least to him. But there's not much time for him to dwell on that, not with Hiyori closing the distance and, and--

Pressing her lips firmly against his. It's done with enough confidence and intent that he can't help letting out a low, soft moan before he dares to return the favor, rubbing their mouth against one another and being brave in the way he takes her bottom lip into his mouth, lightly sucking on it. Just enough to hopefully make her extra warm from the contact.]

▶ 001. WINGING IT.

▶ 002. WELCOME TO SEOUL.

▶ 003. TEAM SEOUL.EVERLIGHT & REDEMPTION

▶ 004. TEAM BUSAN.BRIMSTONE & REVELATION

▶ 005. STATUS REPORT.

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

OKAY OKAY SHEESH

LKALJLKDG holds him.........

hOLDS THEM BOTH...

CUPS THEM IN MY HANDS........

HOLDS EM LIKE BABY CHICKS....

they pEEPIN

PEEPIN PEOPLES 🐣🐥

covers their eyes,,,,,,,,

covers their ears......

covers their.... mooouthsssssss.......

HEAR NO EVIL, SPEAK NO EVIL, SEE NO EVIL 🙉🙊🙈

DONT LET THE DEVIL OUT YATO (or do)

DEVIL'S ALREADY OUT AND ITS NAME IS FATHER

where is he 🔪

hiding in the capybara thread

i gotta tag that sdglksjdg gotta go beat the shit outta the capybara

capybaracade the damn thing;;

capydaddy

he'd like to cap his daddy alright 💥

LMFALKJD 🔫

TEAM DADDY IS BLASTING OFF AGAIN 🚀

🌠🌙 THERE THEY GO

🌟🌕 A TWINKLE IN OUR EYE

(‘-‘*ゞ AUREVOIr

ADIOS, AMIGO (oﾟvﾟ)ノ~

▶ 003. TEAM SEOUL.
_EVERLIGHT_&_REDEMPTION

▶ 004. TEAM BUSAN.
_BRIMSTONE_&_REVELATION