come out of hiding, i'm right here beside you

[barehands]

[A while after the execution has ended, everyone will find a simple note slipped under their door.]

If you don't want to be alone after everything that's happening, some of us will be in the dining room. Even if you decide not to come, please remember that you aren't alone here.

[The note isn't signed, but the handwriting is feminine and neat.

For anyone who decides to come, there's a good array of food laid out on the table. There are some small and simple cakes, cookies, and pastries, a healthy amount of okonomiyaki, okayu, and other Japanese dishes (with a focus on rice and eggs), along with curry. In addition, there are pancakes, and a large pot of soup. It looks like a few people collaborated to make enough food for everyone here.

Just like the meal they shared together earlier in the week, the candles from the storage room lend a more peaceful light than the fluorescent lights above.]

Comments

[halleberry]

[ She'll never admit it, but it was almost certainly laughter on her end. ]

Of course. We can't be too serious, now. Anyone else may be tempted to think you're telling the truth, there, and not just flattering me.

But you won't be fooling me, Assertive as you are.

[nachetanya]

You're making it sound like my title were "Duplicitous" or something, Tsubasa!

[halleberry]

"Provocative" is more along the lines of what I had in mind, but, if the shoe fits...

[nachetanya]

I see!

[ she... laughs a little at this again, and she scoots a bit on the bed, giving the other a tad more space. She also reaches over to push the phone a bit more centered on the nightstand. ]

Do you feel better?

[halleberry]

I came over to comfort you, so if anything, I should be asking you that question.

...But yes, Nachetanya. I'm grateful.

[nachetanya]

I told you, I'm not even the most upset one.

[ She reaches out, stopping just shy of touching Tsubasa ]

In included you in that.

[halleberry]

I admit, I was a bit worried. I still am, but, it's not quite on the forefront of my mind anymore.

[ What with all of this...everything ]

But I wasn't as distraught as you're making it out to be. I guess I'm a little more forward-thinking about it, like you are, rather than retrospective.

[nachetanya]

I didn't mean to suggest you're distraught. [ She says this evenly. ] I meant to say that the busybody who wants to Assimilate all the information we have and produce a better path of us all is going to be one of the last ones people think to comfort. You're so put together, no one would think it's necessary.

[ Her tone is light, sympathetic sounding. ]

... I am worried too, of course.

[halleberry]

[ ... Ah. She... does have a point, doesn't she. ]

... Well, I'll be here to assuage your worries as much as I can. You can rely on me, if you need to.

That's only fair, right?

[nachetanya]

Yes, that's perfectly fair.

[ and Nachetanya...

Actually yawns. ]

[halleberry]

...Ah, I should have brought the blanket from my room, come to think of it. I was too caught up in the outfit that it slipped my mind...

[nachetanya]

The bed is large enough for us to share. Or, as I said, I had gotten used to sleeping on the dirt or the floor.

[halleberry]

I've been sleeping on the floor for far longer than you have, and it's your room, so I couldn't possibly force you to sleep on the floor. I couldn't impose like that.

[nachetanya]

I'm not sure we need to make a contest of sleeping on the floor. I was doing it daily for a while six years ago, after all.

[ That said. ]

Let's share the bed.

[halleberry]

Don't blame me if I end up barreling into you in my sleep, then.

[ But as always. She doesn't say no. ]

[nachetanya]

Well, then you better sleep on my right side [ The one with the arm ] or you might end up making it smart a little.

[ he left arm stump ]

[halleberry]

Is there an excuse you won't take to put your arm around me?

[nachetanya]

Weren't you the one who said you would fall all over me?

[halleberry]

I suppose I did it to myself, at the end of the day...

[ And again, it's not like she's complaining. ]

In all seriousness, though, I tend to sleep pretty soundly through the night, as far as I can tell, so, if it's not too much trouble, it'll be as if I'm not even there.

[nachetanya]

[ Nachetanya nods ] I'm a sound sleeper as well, but like I said, it hurts if someone were touch the left side, so please sleep on my right.

[ Also- ]

Would you like the pajamas tonight?

[halleberry]

Understood. I'll just sleep in this, though. If you want to wear them, by all means, go ahead, though in all honesty, you look about ready for bed already.

[nachetanya]

I am. I've slept in this every day so far.

[ A beat and... ]

... I can still smell the smoke on my hair and I've washed it twice. There must be some trick to it.

[halleberry]

Again, I don't mind it. But if it bothers you that much, use your lemons that you love so much. The acid in the citrus breaks down the particles from the cigarette ash that get stuck in your hair and cause the smell. The chemicals produced from the smoke have a very long half-life, which means it takes a long time for them to wither away naturally, but that should do the trick.

[nachetanya]

... that works?! And lemons don't damage your hair like they do teeth?!

[ THIS IS A SHOCKING REVELATION ]

[halleberry]

You have to dilute the citrus acid with water and let it sit for a little while, but yes, that works, I promise.

[ See? You keep her around for a reason. ]