1 s t . r e f l e c t i o n . v o i c e

[kindaqueer]

[It had been a few days since Kaname arrived in Luceti, feeling more than a little disorientated and confused. He'd been convinced it was all a dream until he woke up again the next day, his back still sore from those wings.]

[The voice that sounds out from the journal might sound a tad more distressed than he usually would. You would be too if you suddenly found yourself in another world with no one you knew! Not that he'd want to subject his family and friends to this place, if everything that guide says is true. Experiments, a war, people with mysterious powers... it'd be a lie to say it wasn't a little exciting, but for the most part, he's just worried about what'll come next.]

[And whatever that was going to be, he couldn't shake the feeling that it'd be best not to try and face it all on his own.]

This may or may not be a longshot, but is there anyone else here from Japan? ...er, on earth. [...] And it was 2010 when I left, but I guess people can come from different times even if they know each other, right? [He taps the journal a few times and makes a face. It is recording, right...? Awkward pause.]

...sorry, I'm still trying to figure out how all this works. So, does pressing this make it sto--

[The voice cuts off.]

Comments

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[returnthyname]

Yeah, it definitely has it's moments. [Weird is putting it lightly.

In all honest though, Takashi is pretty curious about his future. What did he go through? What yokai got their names returned to them? What happened when Tanuma was possessed? No matter how much it may hurt to face the facts how much of an idiot he was he wants to know...

...Well. Maybe he'll ask another time. Now isn't the time. Too busy running, yesyes]

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[kindaqueer]

I'll bet... [Moments. Good moments? Bad moments? Painful? How has Natsume been doing, if he's really been here for a few months? Kaname can't tell from his tone. Has he been hurt by experiments? Sent out to fight in this war?]

[Would Natsume even tell him if he asked? Perhaps that's the most important question here.]

[He opens the door and stands just outside it, holding an umbrella at his side but still under the shade of the eaves. He's keeping his eyes peeled for Natsume... he should be here any minute now, right?]

[returnthyname]

[Takashi just decides to say nothing else as he makes his way over to the building. It's better he just talk to him about things in person anyways... even if he ends up not saying anything at all. In person is just much better. It reminds him that this isn't a dream.

After a few minutes, Takashi comes running around the corner of the building to see Tanuma standing outside the doorway and he automatically comes to a stop. Yep, definitely not a dream. He's here.

So with a faint smile, he walks up the steps, bringing down his umbrella to fold it back up.] Tanuma.

[kindaqueer]

[Even though it hadn't been all that long since Kaname has seen Natsume, perhaps it was just the loneliness of these past few days getting to him that fills him with -- relief? -- when he finally sees him.]

[It's relief. It's concern. It's happiness. It's guilt. Why Natsume? Why did he have to be brought to this place too? Kaname was so happy to see him and yet--]

[But none of it shows. Not now. He knew well enough that he wasn't the only one who was worried right now, right?]

[He smiles.] Natsume.

Ah-- sorry. For making you walk all the way here in the rain.

[returnthyname]

It's all right, I didn't mind. [It was definitely worth getting to see a familiar and somewhat welcome face. Somewhat meaning he still isn't sure this place specifically is the best place for Tanuma to be.]

Have you... been doing all right since you got here? [No one's hurt him right? His wings should be fine by now... ]

I'm sorry I didn't realize you were here sooner.

[kindaqueer]

I'm fine. It's only been a couple of days. [And he's probably got circles under his eyes from a notable lack of sleep, but really, it's more the wing's fault if anything.]

[But forget all that. Because there are far more important things to deal with right now. There's an uncharacteristically strong look of concern on his face. Natsume has been here for months. And Kaname has been here just long enough to have learned how dangerous this place is.]

[What if he's been hurt? Or changed? Or killed? What if he's been spending all this time by himself? There were so many questions, so many worries... but he didn't know how to put them all in words. He'll start small, and see where it gets him.]

You're the one who's been here for so long. Have you been all right?

[returnthyname]

[Honestly, Takashi would've been surprised if Tanuma hadn't made a face like that. He's one of the few who know what he does and worries about him.

Luckily, not too much has happened for Tanuma to worry about though. Aside from that weird love experiment, it's been pretty quiet. But that doesn't mean Takashi would tell him if he had actually been through something dangerous...

The more he keeps a secret about the dangers and strange things he's been through, the better. He wants to prevent him from getting caught up in his messes again.]

Yes, I've been doing all right here. It hasn't been as bad as people say.

[kindaqueer]

[Kaname may know that Natsume sees youkai and spirits, but it wasn't until recently that he's learned just what that entails. Nyanko-sensei said himself that Natsume was always getting wrapped up in the troubles of youkai, just like that one with the mirror... so perhaps Natsume's idea of "not as bad" is a bit skewed from how Kaname would see it.]

[As it stands now, Natsume's words just get a small frown. He wants to believe that Natsume's telling the truth, and maybe he is, but...]

Has... Nyanyan-sensei been with you?



[He's too tired to remember his ridiculous name right, okay.]

[returnthyname]

It's only been a few days since he got here.

[Ffffuu why didn't he lie? That would've made Tanuma feel a bit more at ease... probably. But what would've been the point in lying? Nyanko would've no doubt spilled the truth that he hadn't gotten here much sooner than him. Reiko too.]

[kindaqueer]

[Yeah, bro, you aren't really helping much in the whole not-making-Tanubro-worry department. His frown only deepens as he struggles on a way to properly phrase his next question. The one most on his mind apart from whether Natsume was okay or not.]

So you... ah, what I mean is... [He crosses his arms, averting his eyes just a bit.] You haven't been here by yourself, have you?

[He tried not to make that sound so condescending. He knows Natsume can take care of himself. He's just worried. Loneliness was something they knew in common, after all.]

[returnthyname]

[There is an obvious hesitation before he answers. Of course he hasn't been alone alone but would it be okay to tell Tanuma about Reiko? About his grandmother who can see ayakashi just like he can? Well that part he doesn't need to know about but still...

How to explain that his grandmother who was alive fifty years ago, is here now with him? Well, he won't lie about this one, maybe this will help him relax a little. Don't worry about him so much Tanubro]

...No. Someone's been here with me ever since I got here.

[kindaqueer]

[Natsume would have better luck telling water not to be wet or Sensei not to drink sake than trying to get Kaname not to worry, at least a little.]

[He notes the hesitation, but isn't quite sure what to make of it. Is it something Natsume doesn't want to tell him? That much seems obvious... but why? Was it someone dangerous? Someone he didn't like?]

[Maybe it was better to leave it at that. If someone was here with him since he got here, then at least he wasn't alone, right?]

[There's a pause. And then a smile.]

...that's good. I'm glad.

[returnthyname]

Yeah. [Another pause. He sure does like pausing in between his sentences right now. He would try to think of a conversation starter that doesn't have to do with his own well being but seeing how this is going, that'll be hard. They'll end up worrying about each other to death at this rate.

So after a brief moment-]

Would you... like to come back to my house? [So you don't have to be alone] Nyanko-sensei is there right now. [As is Reiko.]

[kindaqueer]

...yeah. I would. [A lot more than he's letting show in his words. Being alone wasn't always so bad, yes. But being alone in a place like this was something completely out of Kaname's league.]

[And if he had the opportunity to be closer to Natsume and help keep an eye out for him as well, hey, that was just a bonus.]

Lead the way?

[returnthyname]

Mm. Follow me. [He turns the other way to open the umbrella but looks back at Tanuma before he steps out into the rain. If you don't have your umbrella you're getting his, bro]

[kindaqueer]

[Of course he has an umbrella! If he didn't, Natsume would give him his, and then Kaname would have to try and find a way to hold it over Natsume without him noticing! You know, since sharing it would be kinda... yeah.]

[For now, he'll just nod and follow quietly. Should Natsume look over, he might notice Kaname glancing around quite a bit, either because he wants to memorize the area or he just hasn't seen much of it yet... and really, both points are true. He's been too busy trying to figure out what he should do rather than actually, uh... doing anything that involved leaving the apartment.]

[returnthyname]

[Takashi does eventually look back to check on Tanuma (okay well not eventually, only like a minute later. He has to keep an eye on him okok) and notices him looking around. At first he starts to look off to where he's looking to see if he saw something then looks back at him curiously]

Have you been around the village yet?

[kindaqueer]

Only as much as I've had to.

[He's still looking off at something in the distance -- a group of other villagers hurrying to shelter in the rain, wings aflutter -- even as he replies. His expression is mysterious; it's probably even more difficult than usual to tell what he's thinking about right now.]

...I guess I didn't see much point. I kept expecting to wake up.

[returnthyname]

[He doesn't let his eyes fall off of Tanuma. That expression is a bit different than the one's he's seen before. Then again, it's never really that easy to tell what he's thinking half the time. He tends to surprise Takashi with a lot of the things he does.

But Takashi smiles at that comment] I can understand. This place is nothing like back home, none of it seems real...

[ ...Well. From Tanuma's stand point it doesn't, with the wings and all. Takashi wasn't all that shocked when he first got here. He's so used to the abnormal that it's now the normal that's strange to him.]

[kindaqueer]

...it's not completely different. There's a lot of forest around here. I... don't think there are any youkai, but the animals make it lively enough.

[He wouldn't be able to tell if there were youkai or not, really, but what little he's heard about the spirits that are here has made it rather clear in his mind that they're not the same thing.]

[And of course, the only reason he knows about the forest at all is because that's where he woke up. And then spent about a day and half wandering in, completely lost and listening to all the animals chattering among themselves. It's no wonder he thought it was all a dream, really. He started asking the birds for directions!]

[...but he won't be telling Natsume about that.]

[returnthyname]

There are youkai but... they're nothing like the ones back home. [ ... ] At least, I'm pretty sure they aren't. I've only heard about them from a friend so I've never actually met one here.

[And that friend of course being Reiko. He's never understood why she's so interested in them, even here. Takashi would've rather gone on thinking that none of them had followed him here. Like this place could be a temporary vacation away from them. At least the ones here don't bother him... ]

[kindaqueer]

...a friend? [Now that catches his attention enough for him to look back over at Natsume. It's good to hear there aren't many, if any, youkai here. But for someone else to even mention it...]

Do you mean... there's someone else here who can see them?

[returnthyname]

[ ...He. Avoids that question.] I don't think the youkai here are invisible.

[kindaqueer]

[Natsubro is lucky that statement alone is enough of a distraction to make him forget his question was just ignored.]

Wait, so if there were youkai here, I'd be able to see them like you do?

[returnthyname]

...Yeah. At least I think so...

[Which is not something that Takashi wants. It's the last thing he would ever want. For him, for anyone, to actually see what he sees... and maybe get involved in things that he shouldn't. It's not right. He could get hurt. Tanuma needs to stay out of harms way, stay away from all of that.

Even if Takashi doesn't know what these youkai are like... no, that just makes things worse. Not knowing what they're like means he won't know when Tanuma will come across one and if it'll be dangerous. Damn it all]