[There comes from behind Haruaki the sound of tiny hiccups, little chirping whimpers, and sniffling. Mii-kun tugs at his own sleeves, looking around under bushes and behind benches, but never upward at the tall buildings lining the Stellari streets. He's too lost! And so, the tears pick up until he's sobbing. He has nothing to hug, so he has to hug himself, watery eyes still scanning. He can only see people's shins as they move past in big crowds.]
[ The sound of a child wailing has always been guaranteed to get Haruaki's attention, do-gooder that he is, but now more so than ever – he can hardly turn a corner in town without running into a dreamer who's been transformed, and now is no exception.
He whirls around to offer his help before he's even laid eyes on the child, but as soon as he does– ]
Huh?
[ He freezes, blinking rapidly, cowlick curling into the shape of a question mark. ]
The boy with the talisman...?
[ The memory would be hazier if not for that day he got trapped in the department store fire. It returns to him now in bright, blazing color – a boy as lost as he is now, clutching a stuffed tanuki... ]
Mii-kun! [ Haruaki stumbles through the crowd to crouch down in front of him at once, plainly shocked. ] Why are you here, Mii-kun!?
HIS QUESTION MARK COWLICK SLDFJSDF I HATE HIM SO MUCH
[Mii-kun gasps when Haruaki gasps, almost startled by it. At the mention of Mametarou, the little boy's face falls into a deep frown. After that, he starts to look panicked.]
[Mii-kun immediately climbs into Haruaki's arms. It's clear the man has a plan, and a man with a plan is definitely better than a man without one. Kyoto-san knows exactly where to find Mametarou.]
Where is he?! Where'd he go?!
swiftly enters and approves my own rewards for this
[ With a secure hold on little Mii-kun, they're off to the races!!!
Literally. Haruaki sprints as fast as his legs can carry him in the direction of the crystal in Stellari, visualizing a tanuki plush in a sailor uniform to make his legs pump faster. ]
He's... right... here!!
[ They skid to a stop in front of the crystal, and without setting Mii-kun down, Haruaki barks out: ]
I wish Mii-kun had Mametarou back!!
[ POOF.
ONE (1) MAMETAROU PLUSH ACQUIRED.
And it lands right in Mii-kun's waiting arms, to boot. ]
[First of all, woah. They are running super fast right now. Mii-kun giggles and clings, holding on tight, tight, tight before they skid to a sudden stop.]
Uwoah-oah! [Mii-kun dramatically bobbles back and forth. Haruaki barks his wish, and suddenly--
[Mii-kun gasps!]
Mametarou!!!
[He squeezes the plushie close to him, burying his face in the soft fur. His tears start to well up again, this time thick with relief.]
Y-you found him! [No...] You made a wish? That's all?
You got shocked... ah! That means you were older before!
[ Wait– ]
That means you were already here!
[ How could that be? Mii-kun is from his world, and with how many of them are here, surely one of them would have a connection to him and have already mentioned his presence by now. Unless he just got here? How unlucky would that be...
The gears are turning almost faster than Haruaki's brain can keep up. He squeezes Mii-kun and Mametarou tight in his arms, swaying a little where they stand in front of the crystal as he thinks, thinks, thinks. ]
Mii-kun, Mii-kun, Mii-kun... I never told you, that's a cute nickname! What's it short for?
[ Even the air around them seems to still as Haruaki stops swaying and turns his eyes on Mii-kun–
No.
On Sano. ]
Sano-kun?
[ He stares for a moment longer before it jolts into him like a static shock – those blue eyes! And if he imagines Mii-kun older, with less baby fat on his face... ]
Is it really you? You gave me that talisman, and then... you saved me during the fire, both of you did...
[ The shock of this revelation is swiftly settling into a warm, radiant sort of knowing safety. Haruaki cradles Mii-kun– Sano– in his arms, voice quieting as he hums and nods. ]
I was. But you saved me, and you helped me save a little zashiki-warashi. Your talisman did that, Sano-kun.
[Sano is quiet for a moment, little brain struggling to process the severity of the scenario. He finds himself tearing up as he tilts his head back and forth, searching Haruaki for burns. His little fingers take to fiddling with the man's tie.]
It really worked? [Through the tears, there's a tiny smile, then a tiny giggle.] Hehe. It worked!
[ Haruaki can't help himself. He sees tears filling Mii-kun's eyes, and his own grow bright and damp in turn. He doesn't start actively crying, but the threat is there.
No, he's too happy. A grin breaks out over his face to hear that little giggle – has he ever heard Sano giggle? – and then he's hugging the boy tight, Mametarou squished between them. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
( action ) it's the age event
Nii-- [BIG breath.] NII-SAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!
beep beep here comes the local idiot
He whirls around to offer his help before he's even laid eyes on the child, but as soon as he does– ]
Huh?
[ He freezes, blinking rapidly, cowlick curling into the shape of a question mark. ]
The boy with the talisman...?
[ The memory would be hazier if not for that day he got trapped in the department store fire. It returns to him now in bright, blazing color – a boy as lost as he is now, clutching a stuffed tanuki... ]
Mii-kun! [ Haruaki stumbles through the crowd to crouch down in front of him at once, plainly shocked. ] Why are you here, Mii-kun!?
HIS QUESTION MARK COWLICK SLDFJSDF I HATE HIM SO MUCH
It's you! You're here!
[He's here, so it's all going to be okay now, just like it was last time!]
Where are your friends? Those guys? Where are we? Too?
no subject
[ Wait.
It's not just Miki and Hatanaka (and... Mouse-sensei) who are missing.
There's another friend absent from their little reunion, round and plush and fuzzy...
Haruaki gasps! ]
Where's Mametarou? Did you lose him again? Oh, no!!
no subject
You're right! You're right! Mametarou's gone!
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He has a plan.
Haruaki holds out his arms at once. ]
I know exactly where we can find him! Can I carry you there, Mii-kun?
no subject
Where is he?! Where'd he go?!
swiftly enters and approves my own rewards for this
Literally. Haruaki sprints as fast as his legs can carry him in the direction of the crystal in Stellari, visualizing a tanuki plush in a sailor uniform to make his legs pump faster. ]
He's... right... here!!
[ They skid to a stop in front of the crystal, and without setting Mii-kun down, Haruaki barks out: ]
I wish Mii-kun had Mametarou back!!
[ POOF.
ONE (1) MAMETAROU PLUSH ACQUIRED.
And it lands right in Mii-kun's waiting arms, to boot. ]
HEHE YAY!!! YAY!!!
Uwoah-oah! [Mii-kun dramatically bobbles back and forth. Haruaki barks his wish, and suddenly--
[Mii-kun gasps!]
Mametarou!!!
[He squeezes the plushie close to him, burying his face in the soft fur. His tears start to well up again, this time thick with relief.]
Y-you found him! [No...] You made a wish? That's all?
no subject
[ Haruaki stares down at Mii-kun in his arms, no less delighted to see the child, but now also... perplexed. ]
Because you must have just gotten here, Mii-kun! Right? You woke up in a strange garden?
no subject
Nu-uh. I got shocked! [His outline wiggles with the memory of electricity.] And then I was here!
no subject
[ Wait– ]
That means you were already here!
[ How could that be? Mii-kun is from his world, and with how many of them are here, surely one of them would have a connection to him and have already mentioned his presence by now. Unless he just got here? How unlucky would that be...
The gears are turning almost faster than Haruaki's brain can keep up. He squeezes Mii-kun and Mametarou tight in his arms, swaying a little where they stand in front of the crystal as he thinks, thinks, thinks. ]
Mii-kun, Mii-kun, Mii-kun... I never told you, that's a cute nickname! What's it short for?
no subject
It's short for my name! Mikoto Sano!
no subject
No.
On Sano. ]
Sano-kun?
[ He stares for a moment longer before it jolts into him like a static shock – those blue eyes! And if he imagines Mii-kun older, with less baby fat on his face... ]
Is it really you? You gave me that talisman, and then... you saved me during the fire, both of you did...
no subject
You were in a fire...?
no subject
I was. But you saved me, and you helped me save a little zashiki-warashi. Your talisman did that, Sano-kun.
oh this is sick
It really worked? [Through the tears, there's a tiny smile, then a tiny giggle.] Hehe. It worked!
no subject
No, he's too happy. A grin breaks out over his face to hear that little giggle – has he ever heard Sano giggle? – and then he's hugging the boy tight, Mametarou squished between them. ]
It worked. You're my hero, Sano-kun!
no subject
You're...my hero! You saved Mametarou! Uh...
What's your name? Again?
no subject
He never told any of them. They called him Nagano.
A soft sob escapes right alongside a laugh as Haruaki grins even wider, tears spilling over onto Mii-kun's pudgy little hands. ]
Abe Haruaki. But...
[ Sano calls him Seimei. ]
You can call me Seimei. Mii-kun.