6/24: Steph

[randori]

[ He'd shouted a lot during the day, waking up and shouting himself hoarse and wanting to cry about everything that had happened. Nothing had turned out how he'd wanted— he was so sure it would, but it didn't, and now he's left behind to sort things out. Still alive.

There are things he can sort out by himself late at night, but there are things he needs people for- longs to be with people after not having that chance. Later in the evening, after dinner when people are fed and ready to wind down for the night, he goes to find her. ]

...Tell me about what happened. All of it. What went wrong, and what I can do to change that next time.

Comments

[randori]

[ I hope you can imagine him bouncing in place until she finally gets out the door, so he can slam it shut behind him and tear down the hall to the kitchen and repeat the same process— ]

Actually, no! You keep going towards the door outside and I'll get the stuff from the kitchen and I'll catch up to you, okay?!

[vigilantics]

[ somehow, just watching natsuo makes her more tired than walking. ]

Yeah, yeah. I'll see you outside.

[randori]

[ He has so much energy though!!!!! how could anybody be tired around him


But alright, with that promise, he gets to work gathering up the stuff he needs. Flies... like garbage, supposedly, but the trash cans are all empty because I really didn't want to write about how Natsuo would, without hesitation, dig through the trash to get what he needs. Instead, he gets a clean trash bag, waves it around a couple times to catch the air and open it, and starts throwing food inside. A couple loaves of bread, some apples, jar of peanut butter, one of the butter knives, a jar of something that he dumps out into the sink so he can wash it and fill it with apple juice, etc etc.

He'll be out in 15 minutes, ample time to catch up to Steph still hobbling halfway down the hall, probably. ]

[vigilantics]

[ she's almost there!! sometimes... these things take time.

when natsuo catches up though, steph will offer him a little wave, as if it isn't embarrassing that he caught up with her already. ]

Yo. Got the bait?

[randori]

Yep!

[ He gives the trash bag a little heft from where it's slung over his shoulders. ]

I brought a whole bunch of food, so we'll be able to catch plenty of flies! We're going to have a picnic!

[vigilantics]

Ah, a fly picnic.

We should probably head for the stables.

[randori]

[ A fly picnic. That's what it is, really; nothing summons flies like a summer picnic. ]

That's a good idea. Wonder if we can get there faster... Can you use your grappling hook to reel us in?

[vigilantics]

I haven't tried going sideways here yet...

[randori]

Let's try!!

[vigilantics]

This is going to end so terribly.

[ she... slowly pulls it out though..... ]

[randori]

[ Probably!! But this time, Natsuo has no problem latching onto Steph. ]

Okay! I'm ready whenever!

[vigilantics]

...

[ she sighs. at least the cord is pretty long, so she doesn't really have much issue with aiming at the stables. ]

On the count of three.

[randori]

THREE!!

[ this time, he bypasses the one-two entirely ]

[vigilantics]

Wha--

[ her reaction is exactly the same as before.

still, she'll pull the trigger and it'll shoot out towards the stables. it... does not reach it fully, but it will hook onto a tree and they will... zoom.

they may eat shit at some point during this. ]

[randori]

[ They absolutely eat shit and it doesn't even take two seconds because a tree that far won't give them enough leverage to go anywhere without gravity slamming them to the ground immediately. ]

[vigilantics]

[ this is basically what she expected to happen. ]

-- ow!

[randori]

[ ...That was disappointing, if expected, but there isn't time to complain or reflect, because Natsuo sits up in flash and twists around to bring the bag closer to him— like he'd feared, the jar of apple juice had cracked, and he shoves it at Steph's chest ]

Ahh! Quick, drink this! The bread's getting wet!!

[vigilantics]

[ ow, her boobs ]

Oh my god...

[ she stares at him before... doing so. natsuo is only getting so many passes because he was just dead. ]

[randori]

[ People are too lenient towards him even before death, everything just gets worse afterwards. Soggy bread gets dumped in her lap, along with a jar of peanut better and a butter knife. ]

Take that when you're finished.

[vigilantics]

... I'm not eating the bread.

[ it's

it's hard to tell with natsuo ]

[randori]

...An apple, then? You can have peanut butter on your apple.

[vigilantics]

...

Sure! Why not!

[randori]

[ Good luck cutting an apple with a butter knife.

He digs an apple (only slightly bruised) out of the trash bag and tosses it to her, and then he'll take that soggy bread back and starts pulling it apart without hesitation. Soggy bits get popped into his mouth, less soggy bits he salvages to slather with peanut butter. ]

[vigilantics]

[ the apple is just getting stabbed, so.

hm. ]

Every day I miss real knives...

[randori]

This is a real knife.

[ It's a safety knife, for children like Natsuo. ]