maybe one of these days they'll go on an actual date

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Comments

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...

[Yona fidgets with the hem of one of her sleeves.]

You'll let me meet your friends?

[zerotohiro]

...yeah. Maybe not right away until we figure out what to do, but...why not? [If Yona's staying permanently he'll have to introduce her to them anyway. Same with Cass.]

[cutefaced]

[She relaxes a little as he explains, then beams.]

Oh, good! You had me hide before, so I wasn't sure if it would be okay to meet them.

[zerotohiro]

Yeah, well...that's because I just ditched all of them on a spooky island and I figured it would be even worse if they found out I was hiding out with someone they'd think is a total stranger in my garage.

[cutefaced]

...

[wait]

You have spooky islands here? I thought this was a city.

[zerotohiro]

Well yeah, it is a city. But Akuma Island's not that far from here. And a couple of other places, like Alcatraz.

[cutefaced]

I don't know what Alcatraz means but I'm sure if I stay here long enough I'll learn.

[So it's... probably fine.]

...your friends are going to help you now that you've made up, right?

[zerotohiro]

It's a prison. You probably don't want to go there. [But to her question...he nods.]

Tadashi was their best friend. They won't let Callaghan get away with this.

[cutefaced]

You're my best friend, so... I'm glad you're not going to have to do it alone.

[And she's glad, too, that he probably won't up and murder anyone. ...he's had to do enough of that.]

I still want to help you, too. ...is waiting for you to come back still the best way I can do that?

[zerotohiro]

[Probably.]

...I'm not going out tonight. We're going to meet tomorrow, so...you don't have to wait for me to come back.

[cutefaced]

...can I come with you tomorrow?

[Or is she going to meet his friends after all of this is... finished...]

[zerotohiro]

...it's going to be dangerous. I don't know if it's a good idea. [And before she says it:] It's a different kind of dangerous than the game was. I don't know what's going to happen.

[cutefaced]

The game--

[...yeah, he absolutely beat her to that. Yona pouts.]

...is it going to make it harder for you to do what you need to if I'm there?

[zerotohiro]

...yes. [At least he's honest.] It's not anything you did, but it will. I'll come back after everything's over though.

[cutefaced]

[That's not easy to hear, but... it is the truth.

She nods.]

I'll wait for you.

[zerotohiro]

Thank you. [It's not easy to say either.] After everything's over, I promise I'll explain. I just have to be sure.

[cutefaced]

Okay...

[She clearly doesn't like it, but she'll go along with it.]

Um, should I stay in here while I wait for you?

[zerotohiro]

It might be for the best. Aunt Cass doesn't check the garage if I'm not here so she won't notice anything's up. I'm not going back out until tomorrow though.

[cutefaced]

...in that case, can I go out and explore the city during the day while you're gone?

[Yona no.]

[zerotohiro]

Depends. Are you going to know where you're going? [YONA NO.]

[cutefaced]

I'll memorize the way I go so I know how to get back!

[YONA NO.]

[zerotohiro]

That sounds like a recipe for disaster, so maybe not. [He raises his eyebrows.] At least not until I catch you up to speed with how the modern world works. You can't..be all princess-y here.

[cutefaced]

Does your world not have princesses?

[that's not what he means, yona...]

[zerotohiro]

I mean yeah, it does, but not here. We have never had princesses in this country. Maybe if they were visiting but not living here. I think.

[cutefaced]

Oh... okay. Um, I'll just have to get used to it, then.

[Her expression falls a little at her next thought - I'd have to get used to it even in Kouka - but she is aggressively trying not to think about what exactly it is that's brought her here, so uh. Here we are.]

But in the meantime I'll wait until you're free to show me around.