aerodynamic | INBOX for purgastory

[Just giving Yosuke a skeptical look.

He can just not yap now, but--he did get a chunk taken out of him earlier.]

I really don't know... I wonder if it is because we're getting closer to the heart of the maze.

[ he did and he'll cope with that later. ]

It's possible. We only have one sin left and we should hit that part of the maze tomorrow.
After that though... we still have to find everyone else. If this happens next week... I don't know how we're gonna fix it.

[...

Right. He needs to get it together.

It is moments like these when he's supposed to do everything he can to be the most reassuring, isn't it?]

If it happens next week, we'll figure out how to resolve it then! Just as we will in the aftermath of all of this.

I... refuse to believe that we would stumble so close to the finish line. No, I'm positive that we simply won't!

No, you and me both. We've come this far, the path has to be a lot clearer than it was at the start.
The only thing left to tackle is greed.
I can't even figure out what that looks like though.

[ which is also annoying. ]

Greed... Hm...

[He tilts his head from side to side as he thinks that over.]

Well, I don't believe being greedy is necessarily a bad thing in some circumstances. So! Perhaps that will be promising.

Wait how do you figure?
And what's the opposite of greed anyway? Giving?

[ the word is charity you idiot. ]

Well... I don't personally find greediness in one's life to be a bad thing unless it harms others.

What is the harm in being greedy for what you want and are striving for?

[So... so, there is that!]

I suppose the opposite would be charity, yes. Which is also a wonderful virtue!

I guess, but I wonder if that's considered greed or ambition. Or maybe they're the same?
Charity's not a bad virtue. Knowing how these mazes work we're going to end up in situations where we either give parts of ourselves we aren't anticipating, or taking things we didn't know we wanted.

[Giving parts of themselves they weren't anticipating...

Hm...

He doesn't like thinking about that, actually.]

... Hm, well. We should focus on the recovery everyone needs from this first. And then... we'll handle the maze too.

[A deep breath in.]

We shouldn't overthink things either, or we'll just wear ourselves out before it actually happens.

[ well. yosuke has a tendency to overthink, so there's a bit of a wry smile before he turns and bonks his head into tsukasa's again. he can't verbally say all of the reassurances he wants, so that will have to work while he writes out another note. ]

Yeah, I know you're right. We'll know by tomorrow probably, so we should focus on recovery. Not just everybody who was hurt, but everybody who had to witness all of that today.
The whole thing was a mess from start to finish, I'm exhausted.

[He knows this about Yosuke and expects it and loves him anyway. Oh Yosuke.

Besides which, it helps to worry about Yosuke's overthinking, rather than risk overthinking himself. He isn't yet equipped to think about what happened back there.]

Of course you are! Come on then--were you headed to your room before I interrupted you? I'll accompany you there.

[To make sure Yosuke makes it safely and gets Rest.]

[ thank you for accepting him as he is...

he kind of has a feeling this is just as much for tsukasa's benefit as it is his given how normal the guy is, so he will accept it and sort of drape over him. tsukasa can walk and yosuke will drag himself behind him. ]

You didn't interrupt me, but yeah. I figure that's probably the best place to go right now until my energy comes back. We can hang out for a while if you want though, you don't have to leave right away.

[ get both of their minds off of this shit. also he's still needy as shit with or without a clinginess curse. ]

[Tsukasa 100% will accept any opportunity to a) spend some time with someone who really freaked him out there and b) get his mind off of--(there really was so much blood and)

ANYWAY.]

Hm! Then I'll stay for a little while. Of course, I want to check on everyone else, but I imagine they're quite busy right now.

[Juggling trauma and everyone else.

So for now, Tsukasa will make his way to the kitty manor with Yosuke draped over his shoulder. He just wraps an arm around his waist to keep him close instead of dragging himself behind.]

[ AGAIN. VERY HYPERAWARE OF HIS NORMIE FRIENDS. he can't quite write while they're walking like this but he seems to be focusing very hard to project a thought, somehow.

"there's always time later. it's okay."

they can both take a breather and then check on everybody. back to cat house!! he points tsukasa in the direction of his room, heading up and for the right door before reaching around him to push it open.

despite how messy his own room at home is, the room here is relatively tame? the bed's unmade and the closet's partially open, obviously filled with clothes. there are scattered snacks on different surfaces, a few books on a table, and his guitar is propped up against a wall near the bed with a stack of sheet music books nearby. he will peel himself away from tsukasa and wander to go settle down somewhere. tsukasa may have a chair or the bed, he does not care. ]

[It's okay. It's absolutely okay. It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

In fact, that is a lot like what Tsukasa's thoughts currently sound like. Just a lowkey static repetition of "it's okay".

We're doing fine. Anyway. At least Yosuke's room is a welcome distraction. Tsukasa peers around curiously, and then makes his way over to the guitar to admire it.]

Have you gotten the time to play much?

[ it's just a feedback loop of "it's okay" repeatedly then. the guitar in question looks like it's in great condition, the pick tucked into one of the top frets and yosuke just lets tsukasa do this because they've talked music before and he trusts him to be careful. scribbles in his notebook and holds up his sign again. ]

It was in my box from earlier, so just a few times? I've been playing in my downtime though, and I played with Mafuyu earlier. It's nice to have even if we have other stuff to work on.

[He has to come closer to read Yosuke's writing properly, but he doesn't really mind. Walking back and forth between the guitar and where Yosuke is seated gives him something to do with the nervous energy that has settled, just barely, under his skin.]

Ah, I see! I won't ask you to now, but I would love to hear you play sometime! And Mafuyu's playing as well.

[He won't touch the guitar, since he can't play himself, but he does come close enough to properly admire it.]

[ give this boy a fitbit since he's getting his steps in. but he does raise an eyebrow before he looks at the guitar, and then at tsukasa, and he holds up a hand and motions like "bring it to me."

distraction? they can do distractions! (again, extremely aware that this was a lot to process.) ]

[Tsukasa blinks, looking between Yosuke and the guitar for a moment. He opens his mouth to ask if Yosuke's sure, even--before he shakes his head.

No, Yosuke wouldn't offer unless he's sure. And perhaps they can both use... a distraction like this.

So he picks up the guitar carefully and brings it over. His smile is a little lopsided, but earnest.]

[ he will take the guitar, but he also takes off his headphones to hand to tsukasa, gesturing that he should keep one ear on and one ear off. give him a second to look over his mp3 player and scroll through before selecting a song, adjusting the guitar briefly before he hits play on the player and also begins playing.

he figures he's the one out of the two of them that listens to the most western music so it makes sense to have a comparison. ]

[The only western music Tsukasa listens to are musicals so good call.

Anyway.

He obediently takes the headphones and puts them over one ear, settling himself to sit near Yosuke.

At first, he watches, fascinated by Yosuke's playing--but eventually, his eyes slide shut as he takes a moment to just... listen. He's always been surrounded by his music, after all. All his life, it's been a large part of his life--and there isn't much in the way of music in pugatory.

This feels a little bit like having a proper drink of water in the middle of a desert.]

[ he seems to perk up a little when tsukasa settles nearby, like just being around him gives him an energy boost. maybe it does? it's hard to say, and the music is a little slow to kick in but he can sort of hear the music through the other headphone and it's easier to get back on rhythm.

it helps that he's heard this song so many times before that he can remember the notes, but it's also clear he does know how to play. likewise, it's clear that this is something he really likes, shoulders relaxing and fingers moving over strings with ease.

even if they may be leaving soon, it helps to have this piece of himself nearby as something maybe other people would like, too. he stops playing, but his mp3 player's still on shuffle so i guess tsukasa gets this. after a few moments of picking up the song, yosuke's fingers begin playing along.

he can't write like this, but he can at least try a thought.

"it's hard to imagine not having music around."

it's what he has a heavy interest in, it's what he relates to, and it help him get through the day. (and it's also why i decided to take his voice instead of his hearing because he would be inconsolable and i didn't want to do that post-someone else's cyoa.) ]

[Ahhh... this is nice. Tsukasa doesn't have a lot of time to listen to his sister's band perform, much less practice--but he has, when he's gotten the chance, and this feels like Ichika strumming on her guitar while Saki and Honami and Shiho discuss changes to their songs.

He doesn't want to interrupt the music for even a moment, so instead, Tsukasa focuses on trying to direct his thoughts enough to be heard.

It has a secondary benefit that he doesn't even entirely realize--but he has to at least get his thoughts in order enough to think hard on what he wants Yosuke to hear. Slowly but surely, the staticky buzz, the nervous energy, is tamped down enough for Tsukasa to be able to think firmly, "I completely agree. I've always had music around, so it feels strange to not be surrounded by it all the time here. But this helps."]

[ maybe there really is something good about yosuke losing his ability to speak if it means helping both of them calm down and be more intentional with what they want to say. tsukasa doesn't have to do the thoughtsharing, but he understands why it's happening and it makes him smile a little.

"i'm glad. with what you do and your sekai i kinda figured."

he will play through the end of the song, but he pauses then to pick up the notebook and write again while his headphones keep going. ]

I didn't have an mp3 player until partway through middle school, but then it sorta just became something I never left at home. I used to wear my headphones on my commutes and stuff, and then when we moved to Inaba it was nice to have to block out everybody else. I always had them when we were training in the TV world, too. Helps me focus.

[Tsukasa leans against Yosuke's shoulder comfortably to take a look at what he's writing, humming a little as he does.]

Mmm... I completely understand. The headphones suit you, too. Like... a defining accessory!

[After all, even when he was all alone in an empty house, he still had the piano.

... A beat. He straightens, eager.]

Ahhh!! Now that I think about it, would you like to listen to some of my sister's band's music? I think you would enjoy it!

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