craven castle: private conversation, week 8, monday

[lullabytes]

WHO: Nanami & Kuzuryuu.
WHEN: Week 8, Monday afternoon.
WHAT: Mostly sobbing tbh. Sorry, Kuzuryuu.

[ Nanami had just gone out for a walk before being stopped to chat with Apollo. It didn't last long, and her escape route was the Dragon Wing, even though Sebastian was there and Sebastian was probably going to be on board Kill The DKs Systematically, but the Dragon Wing was also where her room was. And where Kuzuryuu's room was. She didn't think Kuzuryuu had gone anywhere that morning as of yet, but if he had...

Trying not to think about it, Nanami just knocks on his door, almost pounding instead, and without a single tune like she'd normally do. She's quite probably about to burst into tears. Actually, as soon as the door opens she probably will burst into tears.

Sorry, Kuzuryuu. ]

Comments

[impheired]

[There is no answer from inside the room because I am a terrible person. Kuzuryuu is taking a bath, sorry Nanami, you're gonna have to wait a minute or two.]

[lullabytes]

[ That's okay, she will just...no she can't even go to her room, she will just turn around, leaning against his door, and slide down to sit on the floor.

And yeah we're crying now. ]

[impheired]

[At least Kuzuryuu will feel like shit for his mundane's sake. Because, sure enough, a few minutes later, the door at the end of the hallway opens up and there he is. THANKFULLY, he's dressed and not walking around in a bathrobe or anything like that. Just a dress shirt and pants, with a towel around his shoulders.]

[He's calm enough, until he spots Nanami sitting in front of his door and-- is she crying?]

Nanami?! [Yup, okay, running over there now. The towel's just kind of dropping awkwardly in the hallway and someone Sebastian will probably be confused about that later. But all Kuzuryuu really cares about right now is figuring out what the fuck happened. WHO MADE NANAMI CRY.]

[lullabytes]

[ Oh, good, he's there. Now she just needs to use her words to explain what's wrong.

...

Words. Those things that you have that are not tears, Nanami. Apparently she still doesn't have them, although she'll scramble to stand up and will basically throw herself at Kuzuryuu for a hug. This conversation should probably move into one of their rooms though, since it involves DK stuff. ]

I - went for a walk.

[ oh good there we go WORDS albeit not useful ones. ]

...need to talk to you.

[impheired]

[Don't worry, he had no intention of standing out awkwardly in the hallway where Sebastian could potentially hear whatever this is. Because, seriously, Fuck That Guy.]

[Kuzuryuu was not expecting the hug though, so he's even more out of sorts than he normally is when people try this thing on him. That and he's having trouble connecting "I went for a walk" to "I am crying now". He pats her back awkwardly a few times before trying to pull away a little so he can get his keys out of his pocket and get his door open.]

C'mon, we'll talk in here...

[lullabytes]

[ It's...it's kind of hard to connect, isn't it. Nanami will follow him inside, still rubbing at her eyes. She won't speak another word until the door shuts and they're (relatively speaking) safe. ]

They... [ No, she still looks really upset for whatever reason. ] ...want to kill all of you, one by one, and leave me. T-that's the plan to stop the game. He said it's only a small group so far.

[ maybe this is why she's crying ]

[impheired]

[It's quite a jump to make, even for Kuzuryuu. Once they're inside though, he'll lead Nanami over to the bed and sit her down on the edge of it, taking the seat next to her. If she wants to keep clinging, she's apparently more than welcome to. Even if she doesn't though, she's getting an arm around her.]

What!? Who? Whose fucking plan is this!? I want names!!

[He...honestly isn't all that mad for his own sake. He's okay with dying at this point, like he sort of hinted at in the last DK meeting. But talling Nanami something like this apparently Crosses A Line.]

[He's not yelling at you, Nanami, honest. He's furious on your behalf.]

[lullabytes]

[ She'll continue clinging, leaning into him. She already knows that, in all liklihood, Chizuru will die this week. They will try what they can - Chizuru will try what she can - but everyone expects it to be one of them, and now if they fight for her, everyone will see it as proof she did it. Nanami knows that Kuzuryuu will go after Chizuru, and she knows that his chances are the same.

...That doesn't mean she wants them to be specifically targeted like that, especially if it is only done in order to keep her alive so she can help the people who did it.

Apollo wants her to stop it happening somehow. Nanami...doesn't know how to do that. ]

...I don't know. Apollo-san was the one...who told me about it. He said that I'd be surprised at who thinks...it's a good idea.

[ Which sounds really...ominous. Even if they're already marching to their deaths one by one, even so... ]

He said they'd start with Feferi-san. Because...because it's more beneficial for the mastermind to live, until they have the information they need.

[ at which point she dies too???? she's not clear on the plan but what she got was enough to upset her. ]

1/3

[impheired]

[Kuzuryuu's quiet as he listens to her, not moving his arm from its place around her shoulder. When he finally does speak, his voice is little more than a hiss.]

...That fucking bastard. [Okay, it's a hiss for like three words.] Beneficial?! How'd he even figure out it was you!? Wait, that doesn't matter. Forget I asked. I'll figure out who all that shithead has roped into this, don't worry. I'll...

2/3

[impheired]

[He seems to come to some kind of conclusion the more he rants. Whatever it is, it seems to start putting out a bit of his fire and he makes one of his weird choking noises.]

3/3

[impheired]

[He doesn't speak again until he rides out this train of thought to its most logical conclusion. His voice is much quieter once again, resigned yet frustrated.]

...shit.

[Yeah he can't actually confront Apollo about any of this, can he? Not without seeming suspicious as fuck and potentially making the situation even worse.]

[lullabytes]

He...said he wanted to warn me about it.

[ She doesn't know what she thinks about that. Nanami doesn't know who it is who plans to do this, or thinks it the best idea. Sebastian? He can't murder them without being caught, so he would need everyone on his side for it. But she wouldn't be surprised that he wanted them dead...

...Nanami doesn't want it to be Glinda, or Maribelle. She can't believe they would suggest this. But who would surprise her? ]

...We have to warn the others, too. [ Even if it's a small group, if they plan to go through with it... ] ...Don't we? So that...they're also aware.

[ Being aware you could die has not saved a single person yet. Nanami wonders how they think she'll be able to help. ]

As to how they found out it was me...he kept speaking in hypotheticals. But, it's clear that someone suspects it, or knows it. Really, I imagine Sebastian-san knew when he gave that report. He saw more in everything we ever did and said than we ever intended there to be, didn't he?

[impheired]

He wanted to warn you about it? Like he's doing you some kind of goddamn favor?? [GODDAMMIT APOLLO.] Of all the...

[He sighs, squeezing Nanami tightly.] Let me handle Yukimura and Peixes, alright? I'll let 'em know to keep their guard up, even tough we...all know Peixes won't be dying this week. Or at all, if I've got anything to say about it.

[He pulls back a little so that he can try and wipe Nanami's eyes with his sleeve since FOR ONCE HE DOESN'T HAVE HIS GODDAMN HANDKERCHIEF ON HIM.] You just worry about you for now, alright? Go lay down in your room for a bit or something. Leave the rest to me.

[lullabytes]

He wanted me to stop it happening. And tell everyone in our group.

[ There is absolutely no way she can stop it happening. After a second, she nods, though. ] Yeah. There...can only be one plot a week, and...Yukimura-san spoke up last night. So, it's...it's not going to be Feferi-san.

[ Or Maribelle. Or Nanami. Or Kaoru...and it's only in a dream world where it wouldn't be anyone at all. ]

...I'm sorry. That I can't think of a way to stop it. I don't...I can't help them the way they want. Even if it were to save everyone.

[ She can't help them the way she wants, the DKs. The people she's watching die one by one. ]

[impheired]

What're you apologizing to me for? I'd like to see 'em try and pick me off. They're seriously fuckin' underestimating me if they think they can do it just like that! [He's been immune the past two weeks in a row and once before that as well. Come at him, bros.]

Don't you worry about us. We'll be fine, alright? Trust me.

[lullabytes]

...For not being a more capable villain, I guess. [ For crying. For trying to get them to agree to kill her rather than any of the others. ]

I do trust you. [ Even if everyone being fine, or even just their group, in this game...is definitely a lie. ] We're...still in this together.

[ ...Even if this plan ever goes into action. Nanami kind of wonders if her death wouldn't at least free the others, but...

...they might get taken back. And she doesn't want them to live through it again. ]

Someday I want to go to an arcade. [ That's not random at all. ]

[impheired]

You're not a villain. They can give you all the cheesy, cliched titles they want, but it doesn't make you a bad person.

[He smiles a little bit.]

I'm going to do my best to try and make sure you can do that someday.

[Okay, look, he already promised you that he's not going to let you get sucked back into this game again. HE CAN'T GO AROUND MAKING TOO MANY PROMISES THAT HE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP OTHERWISE HE'LL BE THE NEXT SPAIN. And we do not want that, so...]

[lullabytes]

...You're not, either, you know. A bad person.

[ Even if you're the Super High School Level Gangster.

And yeah, Nanami notes the wording, man. She is queen of highly specific wording. ]

...There's only one scenario I'd want to go in, anyway. [ That is, she doesn't want to go alone. That would be pointless. ] ...I should probably go before we break the rules.

[impheired]

Yeah. And I gotta go see if I can round up Yukimura and Peixes. Pretty sure the latter'll be at the lake. If I'm lucky, they'll both be there.

[He gets to his feet, offering his hand to Nanami to help her up if she needs it. Even though she's...just...sitting on the bed.]

I'll come check on you in a bit, alright? Try not to worry too much. Trust me, everything's gonna be fine.

[lullabytes]

[ She takes it anyway. Handholding is a thing she always accepts, even if it's just too help her up!! ]

...Yeah. But all of you...take extra care, all right?

[ Since they have no idea who is behind this idea. Or how serious they are about carrying it out.

Serious enough that Apollo felt like telling her, apparently, though. ]

[impheired]

We will, don't worry. All three of us are more than capable of handling ourselves. Like I said, they'll have a hell of a time taking any of us out.

[And with that, he'll walk her to the door and see her out. And...walk her over to her room even though it's like five steps away. What a gentleman.]

[lullabytes]

[ He is the biggest gentlemen, just bite-sized. And Nanami will pause at her door before turning around to hug him, this time with less clinging and more...gratitude. ]

Yeah. I'll see you later today, Kuzuryuu-kun. I...know you're good at handling yourself.

[ except then both of them get themselves grenade'd a bit in two days

and you said she shouldn't worry ]

[impheired]

[NOW LOOK. DID HE HAVE ANY WAY OF KNOWING SOMEBODY WAS GOING TO SET THEM UP THE BOMB?]

[Sadly, he's back to his usual self of not reciprocating hugs now that Nanami's not crying anymore. Apparently that's the trick to get him to show physical affection? Cry on him. Good to know. He does pat her on the back a few times though, somewhat stiffly.]

Yeah, yeah. See 'ya later. Now go relax for a bit. Let me handle it from here.