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[essenceborn]

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[spacialeyes]

[Whew! Yuuto giggles as he watches them touch their forehead. Embarrassing as it was, it was worth it if it makes Nen happy.]

I'm glad. I liked it too!

[And he gestures down the hall,] Shall we go?

[essenceborn]

Yeah. Groceries, right? And then stars!

[ Yuuto is too pure and good to Nen... Turning surprise frenching into that wholesome little mess. Nen gives his hand a squeeze (they're still holding that, yup) and nods. ]

[spacialeyes]

[Yuuto is glad to squeeze Nen's hand back. It's nice to hold hands with someone... and he does like the feeling of having Nen close.]

Mm! What's on your list, by the way? I don't mean to be a nuisance, but I made a list of some things that taste good with peanut butter..?

[essenceborn]

[ Nen feels the exact same♥ Hand-holding has always had a special little niche inside Nen's heart. It's nice to be able to have someone to do with with again. ]

You did? Show me! I'll show you mine.

[ Nen's already rifling through a pocket with one hand to pull out a small notepad, which has several items written on it:

-jam (marmelaid orange)
-bread
-Tee
-frute


....autocorrect does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to spelling. Nen's a reader not a speller. ]

[spacialeyes]

[That should be illegal. Being so charming should be illegal.

He reads over the list that Nen has shown him, then holds out his own:

Two columns, one labeled ‘peanut butter,’ have separate lists of foods that do and do not typically get paired with peanut butter. From celery, apples, jam, and honey are on top of the list for peanut butter. He’s also suggesting a few recipes that can use a microwave.]

Oooh. Tea is really good! Is the jam for ‘peanut butter and jelly?’

[essenceborn]

Yeah! You know pea-bee-en-jay? Chipp told me about them the other day. He made sure I put these on my next shopping list so I could make them myself.

[ Nen is Excited for that. They can only imagine what it's going to taste like......on account of not having tasted jam before. But. ]

If the bed makes me sick, I'll just pour hot water on it until I can keep it down.

[spacialeyes]

... Excuse me?

[All other thoughts are eliminated by intense concern. Yuuto lifts a hand to check their forehead for a fever.]

Nen, have you been getting sick? Do you need to be resting..?

**BREAD......not bed..........

[essenceborn]

[ Aww, that's sweet of him. Nen looks a little confused, but they let him do it nevertheless. ]

It's alright, I'm not sick, Yuuto. It's probably because I'm not used to eating actual foodstuffs.

[ Back in their world Nen was relegated to a diet of gelatin-based nutrient pouches and nutritional paste in bar form....... Having fruits, vegetables, and grains to choose from all of a sudden is a pretty big shock to their system.

Also: turns out they are lactose-intolerant. That was a fun this to discover (not) ]

DON'T WORRY I GOTCHU | cw: emeto

[spacialeyes]

[And Yuuto is struck with immense guilt. He's not just prepared a list of suggestions that might make Nen sick, but he probably contributed by forcing them to eat that crepe! Yuuto's concerned look is somehow amplified, even after he lowers his hand. He belt tail completes the picture by drooping to the floor and dragging in a snake-like, anxious motion.]

I'm so sorry! Have you been able to keep food down recently? You can't absorb nutrients if that keeps happening... Should we stick to food that's easy to digest for now? Like, uh- um- rice? Do you like rice?

sob ty

[essenceborn]

Yuuto, relax.

[ Nen gives his hand another squeeze, expression level despite his panic and fussing. If anything, Nen wants to comfort him. They know being sick isn't ideal, but there also isn't a "nutrient paste" section at the grocery store yet. So. ]

It's okay. I have no idea what rice is.

[spacialeyes]

I can't relax if you aren't eating well... I'm sorry. I should have asked more about allergies. [Though this is more than an allergy.

He does try to sigh his tension away.]

Please let me be more careful with your health, okay? Rice, apple sauce, oatmeal... There are a lot of things that you can eat while you get used to it. Please? [He looks them in the eye again,] We only get one body. Let's take care of yours?

[essenceborn]

...Thank you, Yuuto. I will.

[ Let's take care of yours.

It's the first time in a long time that anyone's been concerned about that. About them, like that. Nenonen had almost forgotten what it was like, so used to be the one that always looked after everyone else--in this sense, at least ]

Don't worry. Even if I can't keep new foods down, I still make sure to eat things after that I can. I know my body's health is important.

[ Nenonen can't help but be aware. Even if the loops hadn't worn them down like they did everyone else, Nenonen can't help but be aware of the fact that if anything were to go wrong with their body--their body which is very much not human--there's no one around who knows how to fix it.

Not unless magic counts, anyway. ]

[spacialeyes]

Good. And- [He gives Nen’s hand an extra squeeze,] Thank you. I like you, so I’m glad you’re taking care. Okay?

[With that, he’ll pause at the stairwell and gesture towards the door.]

Want to take the stairs? Or is the elevator better this time?

[essenceborn]

Stairs. I need to improve my physical fitness.

[ Chipp said so and Nen is a good lil nen so!! They've taken that to heart after trying--and failing--to lift his robot arm. Upper body strength and stamina in general is needed.

Nen squeezes Yuuto's hand back. ]

Oh, I figured out some more magic the other day.

[spacialeyes]

That's the spirit! Let's go then!

[He joyously slams that door open then!

And his eyes sparkle with his own curiosity.]

Really? What did you learn?

[essenceborn]

[ BANG BANG on the door babey ]

I can make hot water with my winter magic. I can make porridge without kettles now.

[ Clearly, this is a massive leap forward ]

[spacialeyes]

Really?!

[Yuuto is thrilled. His pride and excitement for Nen are unchecked. His tail is wrapping around the door knob to close it behind them.]

How did you figure it out? Was it the dancing? A book? Did you visualize it like a science? You’re so amazing!

[essenceborn]

I met a lady who drinks blood and she told me how she thinks about her powers when she wants to make them work. All I did was imagine it bubbling up just like how boiling water does, and I did it!

[ Nenonen looks Quite Pleased about this fact, in the way a researcher would upon finishing some kind of thesis. ]

You can make water hot, or cold, or explode a fish...





[ also yeah. there was a Thing with an anglerfish. Childe may or may not have exploded it all over Nen. ]

[spacialeyes]

[It sounds like Nen has been making a lot of friends! Yuuto is relieved to hear that part.

… but the fish exploding?]

Explode… a fish? Like boiling its… [Wait. No. He’s not going to think that much about murdering a fish.]

That’s so amazing though. You’re catching on really fast. You’re really smart, did you know that, Nen?

[essenceborn]

[ Yuuto please don't give Nen bad ideas about misusing water magic?? ]

Boiling it...?

[ Good thing that second part is a sufficient distraction ]

--Oh. Thank you, Yuuto. My mental aptitude was my highest score in my evaluations.

[spacialeyes]

[He laughs softly at that phrasing,] Does that mean that you've decided to try using your new powers more? I know magic is strange, but it sounds like you'll be really good at it.

I wonder if you could use it to have a hot bath that never cools down... Hmm. I'm kind of jealous if you can.

[essenceborn]

Oh! That is an excellent idea. I want to try that when we're done!

[ Yuuto be careful or this will be bath bomb round 2 ]

You really think I'm good at magic?

[spacialeyes]

[His legacy is now bath bombs...]

I do. You have a bright mind and you're really curious. Magic in this world sounds to be another tool for finding solutions and answers, so I think it's a natural fit for you?

Are you still not confident?

[essenceborn]

I don't know if it's that I'm not confident...

[ Nen pauses thoughtfully at the bottom of the stairs, blocking the door. Because this is the perfect place to have a moment of introspection! ]

I just don't feel like I've grasped the fundamentals. I don't know what the measures of success are. What is "proficient" in magic? Is it being able to fight? Being able to utilize it for every day life?

I don't have any frame of reference for stuff like that.

[spacialeyes]

[His smile becomes more sympathetic when they voice their concerns. He is no stranger to such struggles. How did you measure the success of being 'Yuuto?' How did you measure the success of 'being replaceable?' He's math orientated, so those things would have been much less anxiety inducing if he could understand them with numbers.

Alas, he cannot. And it is likely the same for magic. He doesn't like the idea of Nen's mind harboring any stresses, especially when he worries he put this one in their head.]

How do you measure the success of having hands? [... oh no he's gonna make it worse- back up!!!] Uh, what I mean is! Why not think of it as an extra limb for now? You could judge hands by artistic ability, knitting, grip strength... So many things. But just because you can do one of those well and not the others does not mean your hands are insufficient. Nor does it mean that you're wrong.

I think whatever you choose to use magic for, Nen, you can excel at it. That's what I mean when I say that I think you're good at it... I think that if you want something, you can make it happen! You're great!