B-Because..! [Yuuto can't cry on a good day. He's trained himself to never cry again. Even if he did get teary eyed at this point, it would be goo that he doesn't want to address.
But his voice certainly cracks under the strain of his emotions.]
I want you to be happy living here. Please don't die, Nen.
[... Maybe this explanation is better suited for another time. Yuuto doesn't want to make Nen upset while they're walking home from work. And it sounds like he's overreacting anyway. He'll emote later.]
... That would be nice, huh? [He shakes his head,] But no. It's alright. That's a special afterlife for you both. I'm glad you're looking forward to the future, Nen.
[ g o d the amount of confusion these two could avoid, if only they actually establish the context of what they were talking about.
His answer makes Nen perk up a little, swinging their joined hands. ]
I am. I didn't do that back in my world... Every day was going to be the same, forever. I'm really, really glad to be here with everyone. Everything is always new.
[And he squeezes their hand as their arms swing. Glad for the mood to be restored and trying not to think about what Nen is suggesting. If Chipp is involved, then it's probably fine? Nen trusts Chipp and Yuuto trusts whoever Nen trusts.
He does have a moment where he thinks that Nen might be describing a timeloop, but pffft. There's no way someone he knows is timelooping.]
Right! We'll never run out of things to explore and learn together. Our curiosity will never run dry. [Yuuto isn't sure if Nen wants to talk more about their home. The last time it came up, they cried strange tears.] ... I'm glad you're here now, Nen.
[ Yeah gosh, why would anyone ever talk about time...loops....hahah :') ]
Me too. I have met so many new people, and lots of friends, and I met you! You were the second person I ever met. You explained things to me using science.
[ His hand gets a lil squeeze for that. ]
I thought your belt was very fun to watch. It wiggled everywhere the first time we met.
[ YUUTO HERE SAYING THE L-WORD....and them looking pleased as all heck at both the wiggling belt, and his soft words. It's still such a marvel to them to hear people say that. To be...well, loved.
[The son of a love deity has no problems with the word! And as the son of a curiosity deity, he's also happy to explain things to Nen.]
It's something that you give people when they're away from home for a long time. You fill it with things that will bring them comfort, so that they feel less scared about a big trip. I could pack some flowers from this world, maybe..? And snacks you like?
I want a care package please! With lots of flowers, and peanut butter, and you.
[ You can put people in them, right? Yuuto brings them comfort! That should count. What good would the afterlife be without all of their friends and husbands?? ]
[Those first two things he can do easily, but the third? Yuuto isn’t as confident. He doesn’t know about this Afterlife or if he could safely come along. He still doesn’t know if he has the option of staying here and abandoning his role as Spacetime.
But he doesn’t want to fight Nen on their way home.]
Well… If I can find a bag big enough, I guess? But there’s be less room for peanut butter if I came with you.
Yes, I like Ellipsa much more than I like my previous world. I do not like that world at all. Here there are flowers, and lots of people. I am not alone anymore...
[ Nen gives his hand a small squeeze, glancing sidelong in his direction. ]
And I have you. I am very happy to have met you, Yuuto.
[He can't say that he likes Nen's home world either. Everything he's heard reminds him of the 'Facility' that raised Tau and Chron to be afraid. The idea of being alone, however...
Yuuto refuses to relate to that. He had- has- a family. He can't feel lonely.]
I'm happy to have met you too, Nen. [He grips their hand back,] I hope we can live here together for a long time. There's still so much in the city that we haven't seen either, right? We haven't calculated your birthdate yet either.
Oh! That is right--I want to do that before "Chris-mas." Chipp said that's like a birthday for birthdays. I want to celebrate his then. When is your birthday, Yuuto? It didn't pass already did it? Chipp and Keta didn't tell me before theirs, so I missed giving them presents and cake.
[ Kenta isn't at fault, he was sick around the time all that happened...but Chipp just flat-out didn't think his was important, and Nen wasn't pleased about that. ]
Yuuto hesitates in responding with his own birthdate. He knows what date Tau expects thanks to it having passed in this world. Otherwise, the date of his birth has a 48 hour window and he's not always sure what day to give.]
It was in June... It doesn't really matter, though. [Yuuto doesn't like his birthday.] Ah, but- Tau's birthday is in October, you know! On the 5th.
We could probably try to figure one out of you with astrology books, remember? There's a lot of fun stuff that people do with the stars and their birthdates.
[ Nen groans, but it's less exasperation at him than it is the fact that no one seems to be celebrating birthdays despite how important everyone says they are!! ]
How am I supposed to fully grasp what a birthday is with such a non-existent pool of samples to draw from? People only tell me about their birthdays after they happen. Is that how it's supposed to be??
[He’s a monster for thinking Nen’s predicament is cute, isn’t he? Aside from an initial flinch and straightening of his tail when he thought they were going to scold and abandon him, Yuuto relaxes to an amused smile.]
You do have a difficult sample pool from which to draw your conclusions, don’t you? So perhaps, we should look at the question from a different angle, where the sample pool is more reliable and has fewer factors to consider.
Nen, when you think of Kenta-san and Chipp-san living another year with you, what do you feel?
[ Bless Yuuto and his ability to re-frame things in a way they'll understand. His suggestion has them blinking, but they answer without hesitation in the face of that smile. ]
I feel happiness. There is warmth in my chest, and I am glad...
Then that should be the basis for your research into what a birthday is. What ways can you show that you feel happiness when you think of being together? And finding ways to share that feeling with them too.
I think that if you focus on that feeling, you can make a birthday celebration more precious to them than anything you would copy from others.
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But his voice certainly cracks under the strain of his emotions.]
I want you to be happy living here. Please don't die, Nen.
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[ Bless his fragile little heart-- ]
I do not think I am going to die anytime soon, Yuuto. Eventually, yes, but not in the next few years.
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… Nen, um. Do you know what an “afterlife” is?
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[ Nen is now just as confused as Yuuto is?? ]
Did you want to come too? I can ask Chipp. Maybe if it's the afterlife, you can stay in one place like in Ellipsa.
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... That would be nice, huh? [He shakes his head,] But no. It's alright. That's a special afterlife for you both. I'm glad you're looking forward to the future, Nen.
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His answer makes Nen perk up a little, swinging their joined hands. ]
I am. I didn't do that back in my world... Every day was going to be the same, forever. I'm really, really glad to be here with everyone. Everything is always new.
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He does have a moment where he thinks that Nen might be describing a timeloop, but pffft. There's no way someone he knows is timelooping.]
Right! We'll never run out of things to explore and learn together. Our curiosity will never run dry. [Yuuto isn't sure if Nen wants to talk more about their home. The last time it came up, they cried strange tears.] ... I'm glad you're here now, Nen.
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Me too. I have met so many new people, and lots of friends, and I met you! You were the second person I ever met. You explained things to me using science.
[ His hand gets a lil squeeze for that. ]
I thought your belt was very fun to watch. It wiggled everywhere the first time we met.
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And you were my first friend here, Nen. I've loved you a lot since we met.
When you're ready to move on, then I'll make you a care package! Have you heard of care packages before?
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It makes them treasure him all the more. ]
No, what's a care package?
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It's something that you give people when they're away from home for a long time. You fill it with things that will bring them comfort, so that they feel less scared about a big trip. I could pack some flowers from this world, maybe..? And snacks you like?
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[ Nen's eyes are bright now. ]
I want a care package please! With lots of flowers, and peanut butter, and you.
[ You can put people in them, right? Yuuto brings them comfort! That should count. What good would the afterlife be without all of their friends and husbands?? ]
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But he doesn’t want to fight Nen on their way home.]
Well… If I can find a bag big enough, I guess? But there’s be less room for peanut butter if I came with you.
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That's okay, you don't need to go in the bag. You can hold the bag, and that way you can come too.
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That's true. I shouldn't be making you carry anymore than you have to.
Are you enjoying living here for now, at least..?
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[ Nen gives his hand a small squeeze, glancing sidelong in his direction. ]
And I have you. I am very happy to have met you, Yuuto.
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Yuuto refuses to relate to that. He had- has- a family. He can't feel lonely.]
I'm happy to have met you too, Nen. [He grips their hand back,] I hope we can live here together for a long time. There's still so much in the city that we haven't seen either, right? We haven't calculated your birthdate yet either.
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[ Kenta isn't at fault, he was sick around the time all that happened...but Chipp just flat-out didn't think his was important, and Nen wasn't pleased about that. ]
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Yuuto hesitates in responding with his own birthdate. He knows what date Tau expects thanks to it having passed in this world. Otherwise, the date of his birth has a 48 hour window and he's not always sure what day to give.]
It was in June... It doesn't really matter, though. [Yuuto doesn't like his birthday.] Ah, but- Tau's birthday is in October, you know! On the 5th.
We could probably try to figure one out of you with astrology books, remember? There's a lot of fun stuff that people do with the stars and their birthdates.
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Yuuto...!
[ Nen groans, but it's less exasperation at him than it is the fact that no one seems to be celebrating birthdays despite how important everyone says they are!! ]
How am I supposed to fully grasp what a birthday is with such a non-existent pool of samples to draw from? People only tell me about their birthdays after they happen. Is that how it's supposed to be??
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You do have a difficult sample pool from which to draw your conclusions, don’t you? So perhaps, we should look at the question from a different angle, where the sample pool is more reliable and has fewer factors to consider.
Nen, when you think of Kenta-san and Chipp-san living another year with you, what do you feel?
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I feel happiness. There is warmth in my chest, and I am glad...
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I think that if you focus on that feeling, you can make a birthday celebration more precious to them than anything you would copy from others.
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