IC Contact + Overflow

[gunslingerqueen]

Wanna continue a TFLN thread? Wanna text or call Nariko, or just play in general?

Here's the place to do it!

Comments

[gunslingerqueen]

[Even welcome and very much needed touch can be alarming given how rarely Nariko sleeps. She turns into that gentle concern immediately, eyes snapping open with the panic of someone used to horrible surprises. But nearly in the same second, that tension drains and she breathes out, dreamy and tired:]

Nathan?

[Another second, and the lights will all come back on in that head.]

[hairrowing]

[Gladion's heart lurches, both by the sudden awakening, and her soft utterance of someone else's name. She'll be disappointed, won't she?]

No, it's me. It's Gladion. You want some water?

[gunslingerqueen]

[Green eyes, not blue! His voice is a little darker, too, but only because despite being the same age as Gladion, Nathan always sounded naturally lighthearted.

And - Well. Fuck.]

I ...

[Why does she feel so much worse now? Maybe it's the complete mortification adding in a little spice.]

... If you don't mind.

[hairrowing]

[she looks horrified to see him, and Gladion feels a bolt of guilt. But he just gives her a soft smile and pats her hand]

Of course.

[gunslingerqueen]

[Guilty, miserable silence warps around some attempt to smile, she's still at a loss for words as he moves. Pasha kind of looks up and between them curiously but ... That baby loves to eat, they're fine for a little while longer.

Only when he comes back, does she end up sounding like some scolded toddler:]

I'm sorry. Really.

[hairrowing]

[he sets the water beside her before he speaks, before those green eyes lock gazes her her. he raises a brow]

You've got absolutely nothing to be sorry about. Not at all.

[gunslingerqueen]

Pretty sure I made it weird.

[The hand with crescents of blood is free of wounds, they’ve already healed, and she presses the glass to her forehead.]

… It’s not usually this bad.

[hairrowing]

[he looks at her from beneath his eyelashes]

It wasn't weird.

[a pause]

And you're alone, usually?

[gunslingerqueen]

Mm.

[She definitely made it weird! What does he think about the crazed idiotic adult having weird fever dreams?! Nothing good!]

Oh, I guess I never really mentioned it, [Slow, grateful sips.] I’ve been on my own for over two years now. I just went home sometimes to check on my brother, or throw an egg at my ex-boyfriend.

[For fun, you know.]

[hairrowing]

[he hums, watching her silently for a moment]

Sounds reasonable enough. Not weird.

[gunslingerqueen]

[Oh, what can she do except blink at him because maybe he’s being serious, but this just seems like his sense of humor peeking out a bit. Even tired, she snickers a little,]

Right? That clerk had no business judging the quantity of eggs I had! A lady needs her hobbies.

[hairrowing]

[maybe a bit of both]

Either that or you're making chickens into cannibals.

[gunslingerqueen]

And we'll never know because that's how I maintain my alluring air of mystery!

[There it is, just a bit, her usual cheeriness, and luckily it settles, but doesn't leave the building entirely when she asks, carefully,]

Hey, are you okay?

[hairrowing]

Right you are. [he rolls his eyes playfully, a smile playing at his lips.

Her question makes him pause]

Yeah? I'm fine. Why wouldn't I-- that doesn't matter. You should rest.

[gunslingerqueen]

Of course it matters.

[Stern face goes here!!!!]

And isn't this resting? [She's just ... Sitting! Not doing anything! And enjoying the water because maybe she's still got a fever but who cares. Not her!]

[hairrowing]

[he hums-- it doesn't matter, not when she's going through this. he's doing the frowny thing]

No thinking, that's not resting.

[gunslingerqueen]

I know it doesn't look like it, but asking me to not think is a challenge.

[Unreasonable request, comrade, try again! He's lucky she's tired or else she'd pinch his face or something since he wants to be all frowny!]

This just isn't, like, fair to you, is all. [She clears that water real fast, and the confession makes her very aware of how exhausted she still is.] You have to know that.

[hairrowing]

[a sigh

she's right. not thinking is a challenge for him too]

Life isn't fair. Its not fair you're going through this. I'd rather I were here, than not.

[gunslingerqueen]

No, that part is fair because I've done this to myself.

[It isn't very often that Nariko says something and immediately wants to take it back but that response - probably wasn't the best way to go about this.]

I'm putting too much on you.

[hairrowing]

What? No you didn't! That's stupid. You didn't do that.

[the Frown grows]

You aren't.

[gunslingerqueen]

[They are both really hardheaded people, she knows he could probably argue with her forever, or worse - stop arguing and just do the Frown in silence. It makes arguing pointless.]

I just want you to protect yourself, that's all.

[It's a lot more complicated than that but, hey, she's tired!]

[hairrowing]

[he might do half and half at this rate.

he faulters]

I will. I do. But I wanna protect you too.

[gunslingerqueen]

[He's so good that it's unfair.]

You can protect me by never, ever going near him, or even thinking about it. Because I would rather lose every limb and stitch myself back together, than make another person I care forget about me.

[hairrowing]

[he doesn't say anything in the negative or positive. just gazes at her with those green eyes and goes:]

Hmm.

[gunslingerqueen]

[Okay, look, Nariko is not any more or less immune to embarrassment than a normal person and!!!! That was an mortifying, vulnerable thing for her to say out loud!

It makes that even-tempered response so much more challenging. Her arms fold tightly over herself, sharply looking away from him as if that neutral gaze was as searing as a glare, and then ... Pouts.

Just pouts!!!!]