Pipipipipipi

[inthejunk]

Hanamura Yosuke. I can't answer right now, but if you leave a message I'll be sure to get back to you!

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[inthejunk]

No. [The reply is tense, but intent.] Is that how it goes?

[In that case, he needs to wait. And be ready. He squints around in the low light, wondering if there's anything that can be used as a weapon nearby.]

[reassures]

That's what happened last time. It might not this time.

[She almost hopes it doesn't. Would it be better or worse if it did..?]

[inthejunk]

[What could make this situation worse? It's guaranteed to be awful. His heart patters against his ribs like a trapped rabbit's, and his throat goes dry. He doesn't even know what to be prepared for, only that unlike the monsters in the TV and in the darkness, this time he's up against real evil.]

If something happens, find me when I come back. There's a note for me in my room. It's in an old math book. He'll need to know that stuff.

[reassures]

I will. But you'll come back, and you'll be you. It won't be someone else. It will be you.

Promise you'll be the one to come back. It isn't you if he doesn't know anything. It doesn't matter if he has your face or wears the same clothes, it isn't you.

Promise me.

[Despite her best efforts, she counts desperate. Don't you dare, Yosuke. Don't you fucking dare do that to her. Don't come here and he sweet and kind and one of the only good things she's had in her life in literally years, and then leave, and let some clone show up with your face, who laughs like you and talks like you but just seems so empty in comparison. She'll never forgive you.]

[inthejunk]

He's trying.

[Subtle is hard, okay? And he doesn't have time for it. But the slight bitter edge to that melts at Nill's tone. He can never stand it when she's sad. So, he lies, and hopes that he can somehow come through.]

I won't die. I won't abandon you again. We're leaving here together or not at all, right?

[reassures]

I don't care. I don't want him if he isn't you.

...Right.

I won't let you die in there.

Don't even think about it, because it won't happen.

[inthejunk]

[Something about that hurts, like she's literally reached in through his brain, grabbed his heart andsqueezed. He actually grabs for the ache in his chest.

All this time that he's been trying to figure out how to replace her Yosuke, and she says something like that. He crouches down, head swimming and blood buzzing with renewed fervor.]

[He's got to make it out of here alive.]

Someone's coming, right? You've done what you can. Just stay away. I'll come to you.

[reassures]

[Good. If he's more set on getting out of there, then she said the right thing, no matter how much it made his heart ache.]

I told you I wasn't leaving.

[inthejunk]

Okay.

[If there's such athing as mentally reaching for her hand, he does it. Reaches for her mind, even though he can't see anything at all from her that she doesn't send to him. He's sure that if he reaches first, she'll reach back...]

[reassures]

[It's probably a little strange, all things considered - the kind of thing that if you tried to explain it to someone else, they'd give you some funny looks - but it's certainly doable, and Nill reaches back, and takes his hand. It might even feel, for a moment, like she's actually holding his hand (she can make people feel silly little things like that, after all). Someday she'll get the opportunity to reach for him first, but until then, this will have to do.]