GRAVEYARD

[foundationmods]

[On the instant of your death, you're suddenly outside of your body - probably staring down at the remains it's become.

Yet, you're not alone. For all of you (except Szayel), a young man appears from behind you, his face set into a firm, yet sad, scowl. His shaggy strawberry blonde hair is pretty eye-catching, along with the black and white Shihakusho he wears and the large sword on his back, even as he gently tries to lead you back into the lobby and away from what was once your body. You can still clearly hear and see the living, if you want to try - but they can't see or hear you.

'Welcome to the world of the dead in this Resort,' he says, quietly. 'Looks like you're stuck here with the rest of us.'

He hands you a tablet, just like the one you had before. "You'll need this if you want to keep talking to them,' he explains, looking sad.

It looks like you've passed on, and yet...You still feel like you have a role to play in all of this.]

Comments

[dereban]

"Prepared". . . could you honestly call it that?

[ She feels like it wasn't enough. It's never enough. And she hates feeling this way so much. When he pulls her into a hug, however, she can't help but widen her eyes, looking rather surprised as she wraps her arms around him in return, tightly as the tears come rolling back in at full force. ]

I didn't want anybody to get hurt- I hate it- I hate this— I'm sorry. I've been apologizing a lot, haven't I? It's just too much.

[ Way too much. ]

It could have been worse. Honestly, I was kind of surprised for a good amount of what happened. . .

[moonlightbeast]

Inaba, One person died, and several were injured.

[Two including him, but shhh]

If we were back home, with Dazai-san telling me to transform and take out our enemies? That number would be two digits. At least.

For not having a cell to lock me up in, everyone did a good job of surviving.

[dereban]

You're also dead, Atsushi.

[ Don't discount yourself, you absolute moron. But she does listen to his words and nods quietly at him. ]

Did. . . you want me to catch you up on what you missed?

[moonlightbeast]

[A small part of him doesn't want to know, but he knows he needs to.]

Yeah. I remember being in the lobby, with Gerome-san, Cynthia-san, and Vanitas-san. We could see the outside, and it wasn't void. It was an actual outside. But then there was the full moon right there, and I saw it, and I don't remember anything after that. Not until Rean-san bit me.

[dereban]

I don't know all of the details, so you'll probably need someone to catch you up on the rest that I'm missing? We kind of tried to lure the tiger with catnip and tried to bring the tiger to the zero. . . gravity room?

And attempt something kind of stupid to bring you back to your senses?

I- ... I wanted to save you so desperately that I let Cinque transform into me so that you could hear me and that maybe-- Maybe I could manage to save you that way.

[moonlightbeast]

I don't think that would have worked anyway. The tiger and I are separate beings, he doesn't have the same loyalties I do. But I'm glad Cinque-san didn't get hurt trying that.

[dereban]

. . . I don't know about that.

I was there the whole time and Cinque ended up petting the tiger. Like, your tiger self nudged her hand with his head and it was actually kind of cute? Did you want to see what I said, though? I don't want to say it out loud since it's kind of embarrassing, but you can read it.

[ She'll pass him the tablet to show him the message if he wants to. Read that. ]

[moonlightbeast]

...he did?

[That's...hmm. That's interesting. He'll have to look into it.

But first:]

Sure, I'll read it.

[dereban]

Yeah. I didn't expect that at all... I'm pretty sure he recognized 'me'. Although I am never asking for that sort of favor ever again. I got war flashbacks just seeing it. [ And here is the message she scrolls up to, have fun reading that, Atsushi. Although she's now a little red in the face and glancing away from him because this is really awkward now that he can see her again. ]

[moonlightbeast]

[...oh.

Oh this message.

The more Atsushi reads, the more he blushes, because wow this sure is a heartfelt confession.]

Y-you really feel this way?

[It's not that he thinks Inaba is lying, but rather that he feels unworthy of something like this.]

[dereban]

I wouldn't have written it or made Cinque say it in my voice if I didn't. [ It's a murmur under her breath, but it's there. ]

[moonlightbeast]

[Well. Give his brain a moment to reboot, because. Yeah.]

I...never would have believed it before, you know. Things like this- [He indicates to the tablet.] -I've seen them before, but they were never meant for me. I'm...different. Broken.

[Not someone worthy of such affection.]

But with you...it's easier to believe that maybe, just maybe, something like this is meant for me too.

I-I won't be completely better overnight, but if you'll walk with me, I'd like the company. And I'll keep trying, even if I mess up sometimes.

[dereban]

[ There's a lot to take in with his words there, but the first thing that she says immediately, without any reservations: ]

You're not broken, Atsushi. [ She places her hands on the sides of his cheeks. ] Different doesn't mean broken. Because I'm the same way. Love wasn't meant for me, before. I—

[ She pauses, curls herself up a little and looks out, into the distance. It seems that she's making a confession here, one that she didn't think that she'd ever admit to anyone. ]

Back home, I had feelings for someone in our club. But I couldn't tell him that I did. I would never be able to. Because I don't deserve those feelings, you know? That's what my past self thought. And. . . more than that, he loved someone else. It was easy to see that. It was so obvious.

He wanted someone to save, and there was a girl that needed saving. They're perfect together. So I pushed them together, because I knew that everything would be perfect that way. And I wouldn't have to deal with complications like feelings and love triangles and tearing at each other's throats. And I didn't want something like that to rip the club apart. They were my only friends I had. I didn't want to lose that.

So I decided to throw away my feelings. I would be happy if they just stayed friends with me.

[ Pausing again, Inaba looks at him with a smile, albeit a rather sad one. ]

I know things are going to be difficult. And to be honest, I'm not sure if it's going to be easier from here on out. But as long as we keep trying, I think that's the important part. If you'll accept me, then yeah. I'll walk with you.

[moonlightbeast]

Inaba...

[The sad look Inaba gets is mirrored in Atsushi's face, though his sadness is for slightly different reasons. He doesn't know why Inaba thinks so lowly of her own feelings, she's never really had a reason for any of it. But even with no trauma to affect her like that, he can still recognize that she deserves better than what she gives to herself.]

If you will, then.

[He holds out a hand, palm up, offering it to her.]

But only if you won't throw away those feelings this time. Because I would rather treasure them.

[dereban]

[ It's true: Inaba doesn't have any trauma that makes her like this; she just simply is. But if he asked... he'd probably get an answer, even if it's not necessarily a good one. She will, however, take his hand, warm in her own. She didn't want him to die. But speaking like this... with her own voice again... it's strangely nice. ] I won't. If you-- feel the same way for me, then I won't.

[moonlightbeast]

[It's the one benefit to being on the same side of the 'life and death' scale. He really did miss holding her hand like this.]

I do feel the same way.

[There is a short pause, followed by an embarrassed look from him.]

B-but, um. I want to confess it the right way, in my own way. S-so it if takes a little bit for me to say, it's not because I don't feel it. It's because I'm t-trying to think of the right way to say it.

[dereban]

I can wait. In the meantime...

[ Without any regard for anything, she squeezes his hand before leaning in close to press her lips against his own. ]

[moonlightbeast]

[Well this certainly is nice. Atsushi won't complain about it one bit, because he sure has been waiting to share a real kiss with her.

It's pretty chaste, but he'll hold his lips there for a few moments, taking his time to enjoy it.]

[dereban]

[ She lets it linger for a few seconds before pulling herself away from him, her cheeks a little pink. ]

. . . was that okay?

[moonlightbeast]

[His cheeks are still pink too, but he's grinning from ear to ear.]

I would say it was great, personally.

[dereban]

Good. Now give me one second.

[ clears her throat and stares at the ceiling, as if talking to someone not there: ]

Hey, asshole! This is for you, if you saw that!

[ ......oh.

Well, okay, flipping people off is apparently happening now. ]

Anyway. I think that's it from me, probably. For now.

[moonlightbeast]

[...um.]

Who...do you think is watching you, exactly?

[That's the first question on his mind there.]

[dereban]

I was thinking that maybe the Outsider saw that. Since he can see us.

[ Her tone is so, so flat right now. ]

[moonlightbeast]

I-I'm pretty sure he wouldn't want to see a couple teenagers kissing.

[dereban]

Reminder: he saw Ichigo half naked.