[semi-closed]

[substitutable]

Date & Time: following the mission in world #1530120; over the course of a few days
Location: in various locations
Characters: the Mekakushi Dan & their acquaintances (see the tags for a full list!)
Summary: The Dan needed to cope and deal with the shock and aftermath of the mission, mostly privately but that is a lot of one-on-one talking so we're putting them all here instead of making a gazillion logs.
Warnings: Talks of death, talks of insecurities, a lot of sad talking.

The mission is over, with one world lost, and a dan member they thought they lost came back thanks to the workings of the Initiative. But everything is only fun and games until someone loses a life once, and now the members of the Mekakushi-dan must deal with their shocking encounter with reality. Maybe they're lucky that they still have each other and their friends to turn to. This post is prose and action spam friendly!

Comments

[substitutable]

It's not like I was vegetative. My mother made me carry things around the house.

[He stops there. Don't. Don't think about home or mother. He sighs and tries not to sound like he's pushing Kano away when he continues]

Did you, uh, need something?

[duplicitoussight]

That's a funny thing for you to ask. [Normally he'd dodge around the question, but he doesn't have the mental capacities for it right now. So for once, he'll be straightforward as he can manage to be.]

Don't laugh when I tell you, all right? [He lifts his head.] I came to thank you. 'Thank you, Shintaro Kisaragi, for punching me.' That's the gist of what I wanted to say. To be quite honest... I didn't expect you to do something like that.

[Shintaro had shown flashes of bravery back at the mall, but Kano hadn't expected it to blossom like it did during the mission. Ah, if it hadn't been for that surprising burst of heroism... they'd probably all would've been dead, wouldn't they?]

So, so! Feel good about yourself, newbie. Good job.

[substitutable]

...Ah. [He opens his mouth, starting to speak before he has even decided what he would say. He doesn't know what to say, so he stands there quietly, unable to respond to Kano. He wasn't expecting that. If Kano had been stupid as usual... if he'd made fun of him as usual... it might've been easier.

He frowns and shrugs, looking down in response to Kano looking up.]

It wasn't anything to feel good about.

[duplicitoussight]

You usually accept a compliment when it's given to you, you know.

[... Shintaro's surprised, too, that Kano said something so positive and honest. It gets a tired laugh from him. That's how it is, then? It's really unnatural of him to be this pleasant, isn't it... he'll have to make up for this unusual behavior later.]

Besides, don't you have it backwards? [He hesitates, but pushes on.] If anything, how I acted wasn't very respectable.

[substitutable]

[This will be the last time, he thinks. He doesn't want to open up to Kano or Kido. He doesn't know how much he wants to open up to Momo, even. He regrets not having opened up to Ayano when he had the chance to, but he's not ready to get close to Kano yet. So this will be the last time he talks like this to Kano.]

... I honestly don't know anything about you or Kido. I never had... a whole lot of friends. I grew up with Momo and that's about it. But if something like that happened to a friend, that might have been the normal way to react.

[Unlike his reaction. No, no, Kano was probably more honest than he ever was, in that moment.]

Don't worry about it.

[duplicitoussight]

... when we first bumped into you at the mall, I was really surprised that Kisaragi's brother was someone so meek and wimpy! Ku ku... to be honest, you seemed like a super easy person to pick on. You still are, it's still funny! Ah, but when we were kidnapped, you proved to be a lot more interesting than your sister made you out to be. You did it again this week. So...

[He's rambling. He needs to cut off and go. He stuffs his hands in his pants pockets and quietly laughs.] We'll be watching out for you. That's a guarantee. A favor for a favor, right?

[substitutable]

...

[Aah, he gets it. He gets it, and he's fine with that. He nods to Kano, then tilts his mouth into a smile. It's more of a smirk but he's not sure if he's really ever smiled since he was a kid.]

Don't give me a reason to punch you again.

[duplicitoussight]

[That earns a smirk back from Kano. It's nice to hear some backbone from him.]

Sorry, sorry, but Kido's got that covered! You've used up your free punch--anymore and she might get jealous, heh.

[substitutable]

[... This sounds more like the usual them. Shintaro relaxes, too.]

I can't imagine. You want something to drink?

[duplicitoussight]

[He hadn't planned on staying long. But he can't turn down free food.]

Actually... I might be starving. Do you have any snacks?

[substitutable]

Snacks? Uh... yeah, I think so. We bought some before the mission.

[He's sure the sweet bread from the other day is still fresh enough. He waves Kano inside.]

[duplicitoussight]

[He follows in, peering around as he does so.]

Ah, how has Kisaragi been, by the way?

[substitutable]

... She's holding up.

[She hasn't been sleeping. Neither of them have.]

[duplicitoussight]

I see, I see. [It's no surprise. They're all probably feeling terrible right now, but as temporary leader he has to act like he's gotten control of it. He looks at Shintaro.]

And you?

[substitutable]

Me...?

... I'm fine. Don't worry about it.

[duplicitoussight]

Worrying's part of my job now. It's bothersome, a real bother. Kido should've handed the title off to Kaede.

[substitutable]

... Then why're you doing it?

[duplicitoussight]

Didn't I just say? It's my job now. Kido made me temporary leader. I can't really refuse a chance like that, can I?

[substitutable]

Don't overthrow the queen. But...

Thanks. We're doing fine. We'll check in with you at night.

[duplicitoussight]

The queen'd usurp me right away if I tried that.

And right, right. Even so, I'll send everyone a reminder later. [Probably at midnight. He doesn't think they'll be sleeping anyway.]

[substitutable]

[He laughs a little at that. It wasn't even that funny, but he breathes a little easier after that one exchange.]

I'll have the tablet with me.