IC Contact Post

[riderfist]

IC contact post for Makoto! Leave your letters, birds, PMs, telepathic signals and in person comments here. Though she has no bird yet to return that ...

Comments

[riderfist]

[no, that's also like him]

I imagine it would also depend on how often they're fed by people, and if the amount of people food they've received is no longer enough for their liking.

[seagulls ar elike that. steal the food right out of your hands]

[purrtagonist]

[exactly]

Or maybe they're just really impatient. It's a personality flaw.

[Makoto provides the logic, Akira provides the simple explanation]

[riderfist]

That may also be a factor, yes. I'm no expert in ducks.

[purrtagonist]

Neither am I, truthfully.

[flashes her another smile, but it fades quickly]

-- hey, Makoto. Have you heard from Ryuji lately?

[riderfist]

[and there it is. it definitely just got cooler in their vicinity and she shakes her head, slowly, eyes looking at the very nice ground]

... No, it's been awhile. I was hoping I'd just missed him around and that he was busy, but I take it that's not the case.

[purrtagonist]

[his expression is neutral, as it always is. or. . . perhaps the glasses just make it difficult to read? it's tough to say. Akira's always played his cards close to his chest]

[but there's a small bit of darkness, wisps of shadows, that are dancing around the outline of his body now]

Apparently, they post a list of the people who have gone home in the residential district from time to time. I wonder how they know?

[riderfist]

Or if those who leave know they're about to.

[morbid, maybe, but no one is happy. this is awful. Makoto is certainly better now at letting her frustrations show, but this is something else entirely. she can't help but remember the last time it was Ryuji who vanished, even though that lasted all of five minutes]

Have you already looked?

[purrtagonist]

[that had been just a little (har har) more panic inducing than this instance, at least]

I have.

[as always, he's on top of things]

Anyway, home is where we all belong. So I'm glad he made it back.

[even if he left the rest of them behind. stupid Ryuji :(]

[riderfist]

[on a technicality. it still hurts, especially given what they left when they came here.]

I see. I-I mean, it is good that he was able to go back home.

[kinda]

But it's still a lot to take in.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . yeah. it does. just like it would if Makoto left, or Futaba, or Sojiro, or Mishima. but hey, losing friends always hurts. even if the loss is temporary]

You okay?

[typical Akira, ignoring his own feelings and refocusing his attention on hers]

[riderfist]

[sorry, no catting out of this]

I'll be fine. The two of you are much closer, so this must be hitting you harder.

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]

[purrtagonist]

It kinda sucks.

[KINDA]

[riderfist]

Well, that's certainly a precise way to put it.

[purrtagonist]

[he can't help it. he laughs]

No point in beating around the bush, is there?

[not after she called him out, anyway]

[riderfist]

It isn't going to help, is it?

[purrtagonist]

It isn't.

[kicks at the ground. there's a moment of hesitation, before he reaches out to slide an arm around her shoulders as they walk. Ryuji leaving might've reminded him not to be so reticent with affection]

Things just don't feel right without everyone.

[riderfist]

[no one is getting judo flipped today, that's the good news. she even leans into him, since they both kind of need to feel connected]

I really never thought about us being separated again while here.

[purrtagonist]

[that is exactly the reason he pulled her close. people probably think they're a couple now oops]

Me neither, even though Mishina-san brought up the possibility of it before.

[riderfist]

[people have been thinking that since like social link rank 5]

Did he? It makes sense, but it hasn't even been that long...

[purrtagonist]

[okay point]

Two months.

Mishina-san has been here a lot longer than us, though. He's seen a lot of people come and go.

[riderfist]

Very nearly two months. Which is more time than it sounds, but it doesn't feel like it's been so long when something like this takes place.

[purrtagonist]

[that's true as heck]

[. . . a small sigh]

On the bright side, we at least know we'll see him and the others again eventually.

[they just don't know when]

[riderfist]

Yes... but I'd really sort of prefer all of us going together.

[purrtagonist]

All for one and one for all?

[pulls up a grin for her]