IC Inbox [Folkmore]

[adherencetofacts]

–

▲ ◄

► ▼

+

X Y A B

Comments

[adherencetofacts]

That's good. I'm glad you're going together. [ Nanami manages not to raise an eyebrow or otherwise silently ask how they're doing. ] Will it be just the two of you?

[a_darker_path]

Yeah. [ Not that Gojo can't invite other people but Geto's not really in the mood for company outside of Satoru, at least today. ]

He dragged me to the hotspring last night. We were there till like...mid morning and then we can back.

[adherencetofacts]

I'm glad he's getting you out and about in Folkmore. There's many places to explore.

[ It also explains the lack of their cursed energy in the building last night. It's hard not to notice them. ] Did you have fun?

[a_darker_path]

It was quiet there. [After a moment and then a slight shrug.]

The sunrise was nice.

[adherencetofacts]

[ That says hardly anything, at least when it comes to Gojo. ]

You stayed up all night to watch the sunrise? You must be exhausted.

[a_darker_path]

No, he woke me up. Said it was good luck. [He wasn't wrong there, it was supposed to be good luck.]

He insisted on taking a picture too. I'm sure he'll show it to you.

[adherencetofacts]

[ It's good Geto is sleeping. Equally good they're spending time together. ]

I look forward to it. Are you feeling more secure about him being alive? Better able to accept it?

[a_darker_path]

[Wearing himself out definitely helped with that.]

Somewhat, yes. [He's quiet for a moment, gaze drifting to the window.]

Did you pull a fortune at the temple? How did that go?

[adherencetofacts]

That's good.

[ Nanami nods. ] It was good, middle fortune. I am happy with that. [ He assumes it means he will be able to help people. ]

[a_darker_path]

At least it wasn't bad. [He shifts, lets himself rest back against the couch, head tilting back to look at the ceiling.]

Is that a good pick for you? I wasn't sure what you liked but it looked like something you might drink.

[adherencetofacts]

Let me know what you get. Gojo too if you don't mind.

[ Nanami takes a closer look at the bottle. He recognizes the brand and knows it's high quality. It fits right in. ] Yes, this is good. It's a little early in the day to try it, but I'll have some later.

[a_darker_path]

I will.

[He's quiet for a moment. ] Yeah, I didn't think you'd open it immediately.

[adherencetofacts]

I've had dark days, but I'm not that bad. If I were, I trust you wouldn't give me any but take it away.

[ Nanami looks over at Geto. ] You seem... different.

[a_darker_path]

I would. [Not that he thinks Nanami would ever let himself lose control like that. ]

Do I?

[adherencetofacts]

[ A nod, on both counts. Nanami looks over at Geto. ]

Not simply because you aren't having a panic attack.

[a_darker_path]

That does tend to make a difference, yes. [Dry but he exhales a breath.]

I am sorry about that. I just- [Geto shrugs a shoulder, rubs a hand over his face. ]

...He said I broke his heart.

[adherencetofacts]

I'm glad you called me. And stayed over. [ It's what he's here for, and he appreciates being the person Geto reached out to. It certainly helps already knowing each other, but he could have gone off on his own.

Nanami sighs, glad it isn't liquor time. ]

Yes. [ Nanami waits for Geto to say more, before he contributes anything. ]

[a_darker_path]

I don't know how that's even possible. I know what you've told me about what happens between where I'm at now and where he came in and I get they separated us, but how did I go that far? [It doesn't make sense, not if Satoru was still there.]

[adherencetofacts]

[ The kettle whistles, and Nanami sighs. ] One moment.

[ He pours the hot water over the leaves, sets a timer on his relic, and brings the tea pot and a couple cast iron teacups (they stack together) out to the living room, set upon appropriate pot holders so as not to damage the table. ]

I don't know everything, but I can tell you what context I do know, if you would like.

[a_darker_path]

[ He lets Nanami get settled. ] I know Amanai and Haibara were major parts of whatever I ended up doing, from our previous conversations. [But then, he'd had people to talk to here, at least.]

Tell me what you can. I don't think it'll change my choices here, because I've already made my position clear to Satoru, but I can't help but wonder what happened to push us that far apart.

[adherencetofacts]

They were part of it, yes. Haibara in particular was one of the final straws. I don't blame you for that. The Elders are pieces of shit. We all agree on that, even if we handle it in different ways.

[ Nanami pours tea for both of them, picks up his cups, and blows across the surface. ]

There's a mix of general and specifics. You and Gojo retrieved Amanai's body from the cult that paid Fushiguro Toji to kill her. I don't know what exactly that was like, but you were shaken by it. You never were the same afterward. The missions themselves didn't help. There was more and more collateral damage, more people freaking out over curses they couldn't see. Just worse.

I mean, fuck, people were worshipping the cursed spirit that— [ Nanami takes a deep breath. ] It was a lot of bad shit. You were needed, so you went and you went and you went. You, Gojo, Ieri, you hardly ever saw each other. You and Gojo were always out on missions. Ieri was busy healing other sorcerers who got hurt on missions. We were all there, but you were alone.

[ He hasn't even addressed the biggest issue around Geto leaving. ] It got bad. I don't blame you for leaving. I'd left at that point after all. Gojo wasn't suffering the way you were. He mastered keeping Limitless up at all times. He thrived off the missions. And he, he missed the way you were suffering. We all did, but the rest of us missing it wouldn't hurt like him missing it. It seems like that drove a wedge of pain that grew until it snapped.

[ Nanami looks over at Geto, watching him carefully. He remembers Geto taunting Gojo on the front lawn of the school. It was still so fucked up, so many years later. ] You needed help, and you didn't get it. From anyone.

[a_darker_path]

[He listens, his fingers curling around the cup and doesn't speak, just letting himself think about what Nanami had said. Satoru being caught up in his own path makes sense, given everything. He's always known he needed Satoru more than Satoru ever needed him.

And after the conversation the night before, he can see why he left too. If only a few days dealing with Satoru acting the way he had been acting had affected him that badly, months of it?

Everyone has their limits after all. When he finallly speaks, his voice is neutral and it's after sipping the tea.] Do you think he was in love with me or was it just the fact I left that hurt him?

[adherencetofacts]

[ What a question. It's a huge one but hardly that shocking. There's a benefit to coming in a decade later, seeing what Gojo was like over all those years. Seeing parts of the final confrontation and Gojo afterward...

Nanami takes a few even breaths before he answers. For being so smart, Gojo's a damn idiot. ]

He's in love with you. He was too blind to see it until you left.

[a_darker_path]

[ His fingers tighten around the cup for a moment before he exhales a breath, setting it down. ] It's not that I didn't want to believe him. I just- [He trails off, lets his head drop back so he's looking up at the ceiling.]

It felt like it was too much of what I wanted to hear. Even if you'd answered differently, I wouldn't have done anything to change what's happened since I arrived here.

[adherencetofacts]

[ It's only been a bit under thirty-six hours since they parted ways the previous time. Clearly it's been an eventful New Year's Eve. Things have changed between them.

They talked. ]

If he didn't love you, that would be highly unhealthy, Geto. It isn't healthy that you're thinking like that, that any piece of him is better than no piece at all.

It could sabotage what you two are building together now. You don't want to do that, do you?