6/8: Steph

[randori]

[ He promised nothing would happen. He wouldn't let anything happen. Please don't let anything have happened—- ]

SUMMER!! SUMMER!!!!!!!

[ There is nobody else who would answer to that name, nobody else who would call her by it. He's screaming her name up and down the castle trying to find him, leaping up the stairs two or three steps at a time, flinging open bedroom doors at random without a care for privacy, frantically searching everywhere he can for herr, one hand cupped at the side of his mouth as he shouts.

There's something else clenched in his other hand, a tight fist that he doesn't relax throughout the entire time. ]

Comments

[vigilantics]

Natsuo!

[ she practically runs into him, and her arms wrap around natsuo in a hug. ]

I'm here. I'm okay, I'm right here.

[randori]

[ He feels all the air rush out of him all at once— from the hug, in relief, the way his mouth opens silently like he can't find any other words besides her name. His arms go around her too, but his hands clutch at the back of her shirt more than he's giving a proper hug, feeling a little like he wants to cry, but he's not allowed to. ]

—you're here, you're here... I was scared something might've happened to you too.

[vigilantics]

[ it didn't actually cross her mind what other people here might feel if it's her who was killed. steph takes a deep breath, wishing that she could send natsuo back home with just a thought. that she could send everyone else back home. ]

We're both okay. [ "okay." ] Sorry I worried you.

[randori]

No, it's okay. [ """okay""" ] That sorta thing is inevitable, but that's why I brought this!!

[ He opens up that hand he'd kept closed tight, and resting on his palm is a spool of red thread. ]

[vigilantics]

Red string?

[ she squints at it before looking back at natsuo. ]

[randori]

Yeah, 'cause I said I'd protect people but I can't always be there. So like this, no matter how far apart we are, I'll know if something happens!

[ in a perfect world where the string is always taut and never gets tangled or in people's way ]

[vigilantics]

[

she blinks, not sure what to say. and then, stephanie bursts into her first genuine smile since this morning. ]

Good idea.

[randori]

[ NO!!! NO ONE'S ALLOWED TO DIE

Natsuo is blisfully unaware of the thought process, because that smile gets him to smile too. ]

Right? Then, we'll do it like this—

[ He breaks off a short length of thread first, strings it through the spool, and then loops it around his wrist like a bracelet, spool of thread hanging on it so that he can pull out another length of thread and hand the end of it over to Stephanie.

...It's like a leash to a dog. ]

[vigilantics]

[ steph can already see all of the problems here but she cannot bring herself to mention them.

it's adorable? he tried. ]

... thank you.

[randori]

Yeah! You're welcome! It's our lifeline, so take care of it!

[ All the problems aside... This'll work. It'll definitely work. If everybody's connected to everybody else, everybody will be able to take care of each other and keep an eye on each other; he just has to convince everybody to do something as asinine as this, and they're golden. ]

[vigilantics]

I'll definitely protect it.

[ ... they're gonna have to cut it at some point. ]

That goes for you too, okay?

[randori]

[ Hopefully before he gets his hand torn off ]

Yeah, I'll do that too! This time, I couldn't do anything, but next time... Next time for sure. If not me, you always have to be with somebody, okay? Your roommate? Are you getting along with your roommate?

[vigilantics]

I am. Hikage has a grumpy exterior but a squishy interior.

[ he is tsundere, is what he is. ]

What about you?

[randori]

Hikage... Ah! The death guy! [ All Natsuo got to experience so far was that grumpy exterior, so he'll have to take her word for it. ]

Dave's my aibou! He's dead too!

[vigilantics]

Dave's dead?

[ she just. sighs. ]

Why are there so many zombie people here...

[randori]

Yeah, he says so, anyways. [ He doesn't want to believe it, since. You know. Dead people are supposed to stay dead. ]

But he's just like you and me- he can hurt and everything, so I absolutely won't let anything happen to him, even though he says stupid stuff like not dying so I won't die, instead of staying safe for his own sake.

[vigilantics]

Ah, he's one of those types.

[ self-sacrificing. ]

Well, both of you need to stay safe. I like you both a lot and you deserve to get out of here.

[randori]

Yeah, one of those. [ He pulls a face, as if he isn't much the same. And he isn't— not really. He won't sacrifice himself; he'll find a way to get everybody out, himself included- him dying isn't an option he'll ever entertain. ]

Yeah, you too! Dave and I have a buddy system going, so we'll look after each other. If people are killing in secret, I dunno if there's anything I can do about that right now... but anything that I find or see, I'll definitely put an end to it so everybody stays safe.

[vigilantics]

[ her first instinct is to tell him no. civilians getting involved in messes like this usually never leads to something good, but... none of them is really a civilian at this point. it doesn't matter how much experience someone has over the other, they're all in the same position here. ]

You're definitely not alone there, you know. I'll do everything I can to help.

[randori]

Then! If you find or see anything wrong, tell me so I can deal with it!

[ Is Natsuo the only person who hears "Batgirl" and thinks "civilian"? Maybe. ]

[vigilantics]

[ honestly... it's endearing. and also a little concerning. ]

... right. I definitely will, boss.