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Mmhmm. Right.
[ Haruaki waits a few moments. They walk down the coast in silence, blue sand crunching beneath their shoes, unfamiliar stars twinkling overhead.
He feels such a profound gratitude for this whole world. Even when it's scary, even when it's dangerous– he's already gotten so much more here than he ever could have dreamed of back home, and now he can share that with Sano, too. ]
Without all that weird stuff going on with people's ages a little while ago... I may have never learned that you were the little Mii-kun that gave me that talisman and saved my life.
[ Haruaki waits a few moments. They walk down the coast in silence, blue sand crunching beneath their shoes, unfamiliar stars twinkling overhead.
He feels such a profound gratitude for this whole world. Even when it's scary, even when it's dangerous– he's already gotten so much more here than he ever could have dreamed of back home, and now he can share that with Sano, too. ]
Without all that weird stuff going on with people's ages a little while ago... I may have never learned that you were the little Mii-kun that gave me that talisman and saved my life.
[ The bright full moon overhead has nothing on the way Haruaki beams at his student, his friend, his Sano. ]
That fire at the department store. Remember? Mii-kun was the one who guided that little zashiki-warashi and I to safety.
I never told you, because... well, because I didn't know it was you!
That fire at the department store. Remember? Mii-kun was the one who guided that little zashiki-warashi and I to safety.
I never told you, because... well, because I didn't know it was you!
[The bafflement only increases, becomes something soft, almost cautious, or maybe even fearful, somehow... Sano stares at his teacher, his friend, a man he'd do anything to save - anytime, every time.
[He is so often a failure. He is someone who has caused unimaginable pain and suffering, whose guilt rules him in ways few, if any, could ever understand. He still sees visions of the people he's hurt, blood on the walls.
[He worries he'll fail. Every time, he worries he'll fail.
[He isn't good enough. Strong enough, but unable to control it. He wants to be like Haruaki, to solve things with peace, to not rely on anger and frustration, the ever-present threat of an explosion...
[It makes his face crumple for just a minute, and he has to look away, glaring at the sand, breath arrested in his lungs.]
You kept it all those years...I didn't think...I'd...
[He didn't think it would save him. He didn't think it would matter the way it does...]
Haru-- Eh...
Seimei...geez...
[He is so often a failure. He is someone who has caused unimaginable pain and suffering, whose guilt rules him in ways few, if any, could ever understand. He still sees visions of the people he's hurt, blood on the walls.
[He worries he'll fail. Every time, he worries he'll fail.
[He isn't good enough. Strong enough, but unable to control it. He wants to be like Haruaki, to solve things with peace, to not rely on anger and frustration, the ever-present threat of an explosion...
[It makes his face crumple for just a minute, and he has to look away, glaring at the sand, breath arrested in his lungs.]
You kept it all those years...I didn't think...I'd...
[He didn't think it would save him. He didn't think it would matter the way it does...]
Haru-- Eh...
Seimei...geez...
Of course I kept it!
[ Haruaki takes one big step to get a pace ahead of Sano and then turns, stopping right in front of him, reaching out to hold him by the shoulders. His hands squeeze, warm and reassuring, because Sano doesn't have to speak all those dark troubles in his heart – Haruaki knows them just from a glance.
If there's one person in the world who doesn't make Sano feel like a harbinger of miserable, chaotic destruction, let it be him. ]
You've been watching over me for much longer than either of us knew. Thank you, Sano-kun.
[ Haruaki takes one big step to get a pace ahead of Sano and then turns, stopping right in front of him, reaching out to hold him by the shoulders. His hands squeeze, warm and reassuring, because Sano doesn't have to speak all those dark troubles in his heart – Haruaki knows them just from a glance.
If there's one person in the world who doesn't make Sano feel like a harbinger of miserable, chaotic destruction, let it be him. ]
You've been watching over me for much longer than either of us knew. Thank you, Sano-kun.
[He's taken by the shoulders, steadied, cared for. He told Haruaki once that being with him makes his worries feel stupid, and he'd said so with joy in his heart, so rarely felt. He feels vulnerable and young, unable to control the expression on his face, warm guilt. He shakes his head a bit.]
I did know. Not about the fire, but...
I knew. As soon as I saw you again.
I did know. Not about the fire, but...
I knew. As soon as I saw you again.
[ Haruaki can never hide a single thing he feels. When the surprise washes over him, it's visible – his eyes go almost comically wide, cowlick curling into a question mark atop his head. ]
You did? Wait! You really did?
[ ... ]
Is that why you were so kind to me right away...?
You did? Wait! You really did?
[ ... ]
Is that why you were so kind to me right away...?
[ With how fast Haruaki's running, it takes less than a minute for him to get all the way across Stellari to the Amphitheater, and he doesn't break pace at all as he rockets through the crowd, right up to the front of the stage–
Where he leaps up, throwing himself bodily onto the platform and rolling until he can pop up like a prize gymnast, arms stretched overhead with pride. ]
Pick me! Pick me! Somebody bid on me!!!!!
[ The crowd...
Is perplexed.
Did anyone even want him to go up there?
No, but he's always kind of doing his own thing, isn't he? That's part of Haruaki's charm...
Many murmurs, but no shouts of astronomical amounts of cords. Or... any amount of cords at all. ]
S-seriously, please, somebody bid on me...
Where he leaps up, throwing himself bodily onto the platform and rolling until he can pop up like a prize gymnast, arms stretched overhead with pride. ]
Pick me! Pick me! Somebody bid on me!!!!!
[ The crowd...
Is perplexed.
Did anyone even want him to go up there?
No, but he's always kind of doing his own thing, isn't he? That's part of Haruaki's charm...
Many murmurs, but no shouts of astronomical amounts of cords. Or... any amount of cords at all. ]
S-seriously, please, somebody bid on me...
[Sano just barely shakes his head, the smallest smile warming on his lips. That guilty, burdened look starts to fade as he recalls his teacher, hiding under the podium on his first day.]
No. You were afraid. I knew you didn't have to be.
It felt familiar, though... [Don't worry. We're not going to eat you.]
I realized pretty quick.
No. You were afraid. I knew you didn't have to be.
It felt familiar, though... [Don't worry. We're not going to eat you.]
I realized pretty quick.
[ It really was familiar, wasn't it? A boy cowering beneath a park bench, a grown man stuck beneath a podium, and a kind hand reaching out for both...
Beneath the light of that glorious moon and all those unfamiliar stars, the tears that begin to pool in Haruaki's eyes glisten brighter than usual. ]
S... Sano-kun...
Beneath the light of that glorious moon and all those unfamiliar stars, the tears that begin to pool in Haruaki's eyes glisten brighter than usual. ]
S... Sano-kun...
[Those slowly pooling, glistening tears have just enough time to pull at Sano's heartstrings before Haruaki's sobbing, stuck to him like a starfish. Sano places a hand on Haruaki's head, trying to pry him off.]
Shut up. We will, stupid.
[He's laughing.]
Shut up. We will, stupid.
[He's laughing.]
[ And in response to that, Haruaki only clings tighter, practically lifts Sano off the ground from the force with which he begins to sway both of them back and forth. ]
Forever and ever and ever! Even after you graduate! Even when I'm Old and Gray-aki and I'm ready to shuffle off this mortal coil and go to the great sailor uniform in the sky!!!!
Forever and ever and ever! Even after you graduate! Even when I'm Old and Gray-aki and I'm ready to shuffle off this mortal coil and go to the great sailor uniform in the sky!!!!
[He grips Haruaki's shoulders as he's thrown from side to side, trying to grip tight enough to shake him out of his spiral.]
I said we will!
[Mercifully, Sano doesn't think about what comes after "forever and ever and ever".]
You don't have to worry about that, okay? I promise.
I said we will!
[Mercifully, Sano doesn't think about what comes after "forever and ever and ever".]
You don't have to worry about that, okay? I promise.
[ How is it possible to cry so hard yet be so, so very happy? Haruaki laughs through his theatrical tears, hugs Sano tighter beneath the stars, begins to spin him around. Sorry, but this spiral isn't ending. He may never let go. ]
I promise, too! I'll promise it a million times!
I promise, too! I'll promise it a million times!
[ When suddenly, the voice of a man never so sure of anything in his life rings out from the crowd, ]
800!!
[ The crowd...
Is still perplexed.
As is the auctioneer, who looks back and forth between Haruaki and the crowd as if they honestly have no idea what to do. There's paperwork for this kind of thing, can they even accept the cords?
An idea hits them after a few more moments of murmuring but otherwise no bidding, lightly tapping the gavel on their podium, "Sold for 800?" ]
800!!
[ The crowd...
Is still perplexed.
As is the auctioneer, who looks back and forth between Haruaki and the crowd as if they honestly have no idea what to do. There's paperwork for this kind of thing, can they even accept the cords?
An idea hits them after a few more moments of murmuring but otherwise no bidding, lightly tapping the gavel on their podium, "Sold for 800?" ]
[ It doesn't even take a second for him to be up and climbing onto the stage, surrounded by curious murmurs asking if he's allowed to do that. Is he? Who knows! Nobody here! Not even him! ]
Even if I have to dose this whole crowd, you'll be nothing but safe and sound under my watch!
[ Dose? Huh?? Well, whatever this is it's...kind of sweet? Maybe? A few people are timidly clapping as Haruaki gets oh so chivalrously hoisted up into the 'mysterious suitor's arms. ]
Even if I have to dose this whole crowd, you'll be nothing but safe and sound under my watch!
[ Dose? Huh?? Well, whatever this is it's...kind of sweet? Maybe? A few people are timidly clapping as Haruaki gets oh so chivalrously hoisted up into the 'mysterious suitor's arms. ]
[ Akira lifts him like he's light as a feather, even without his full strength returned to him. Haruaki flings his arms around his neck, kicks his legs happily in the air as he looks back out over the crowd. ]
Careful! He totally means it!
[ Murmurs ripple through the crowd – wait, I saw some art of Doctor Takahashi and Haruaki, and he was giving him a shot in it... and then they... – but Haruaki pays them no mind, focused back on Akira. ]
Well? Where are you whisking me off to for our date, Akira-kuuuuun?
Careful! He totally means it!
[ Murmurs ripple through the crowd – wait, I saw some art of Doctor Takahashi and Haruaki, and he was giving him a shot in it... and then they... – but Haruaki pays them no mind, focused back on Akira. ]
Well? Where are you whisking me off to for our date, Akira-kuuuuun?
[It only makes sense to go Christmas shopping together. Oda's never met Takahashi-sensei, and Haruaki...apparently needs some sort of insight on Akechi that he doesn't already have? Oda's really not the person to ask, but he likes spending time with Haruaki, so he agrees to come along. They meet in the marketplace in Stellari. Oda approaches with his hands in his pockets.]
Yo.
Yo.
[ Haruaki's arms go straight up in the air, cowlick curling into a heart, immediately thrilled to see his friend. ]
O~ da~ sa~ kuuuuu!!!
[ Have two men ever been more mismatched in terms of energy levels? It's fantastic. ]
I still can't believe you drew Akira-kun! How lucky could we get, huh?
O~ da~ sa~ kuuuuu!!!
[ Have two men ever been more mismatched in terms of energy levels? It's fantastic. ]
I still can't believe you drew Akira-kun! How lucky could we get, huh?
[Oda nods.]
I recognized the name right away. I've never met the guy, though. You'll have better advice than anyone.
[Oda has not yet considered that there's a non-zero chance Haruaki will tell him to buy Takahashi a sailor uniform. He has also not considered that this may be Haruaki's intentions for Akechi.]
I recognized the name right away. I've never met the guy, though. You'll have better advice than anyone.
[Oda has not yet considered that there's a non-zero chance Haruaki will tell him to buy Takahashi a sailor uniform. He has also not considered that this may be Haruaki's intentions for Akechi.]
You're in good hands, I promise!
[ He tucks his hands into the pocket of his track jacket, nods his head in the direction of a row of shops and begins walking, happy as a clam. ]
I don't want you to spend too much money, though... some of his tastes are pretty luxurious...
[ He tucks his hands into the pocket of his track jacket, nods his head in the direction of a row of shops and begins walking, happy as a clam. ]
I don't want you to spend too much money, though... some of his tastes are pretty luxurious...
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