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

[cutefaced]

Comments

[zerotohiro]

[He's moving almost immediately, grabbing a Kreitech laptop from his workbench and settling near her chair as he boots it up, navigating his way to a web browser and pulling up real-time maps of the city.]

There're satellites and cameras everywhere that take pictures all the time.

[cutefaced]

Eh...?

[She peers at the laptop as he pulls up the maps. They default to the location, of course, so she's greeted with... the outside of the garage! Her eyes go wide.]

That's right outside. If we go out there will they see us on these?

[zerotohiro]

Probably. [Definitely, but let's not go outside? He's going to click away to another map that shows the golden gate bridge.] It's cool though, right? You can see everything from here.

[cutefaced]

It's so big!

[She stares at the image of the golden gate bridge with no small amount of interest, and leans in to get a closer look.]

...I think I saw this when you were bringing me back here? Or, um. Before that. When I was falling. You could see it even from where we were even though I think we were far away.

[zerotohiro]

It's pretty much the most identifiable landmark of San Fransokyo. It's also how people travel across the bay and stuff. People come from all over the world to see it if you can believe that. If you want, later on we can go take a closer look. [A beat.] It's worth it. Trust me.

[cutefaced]

I want to!

[she spent most of her time in her room or the castle grounds before coming here, hiro, she wants to see the world]

You have to tell me how they manage to get it to stand up like that. It looks like it could fall over, but it doesn't!

[zerotohiro]

[...just...staring...]

Yona. Do they not have bridges where you're from?

[cutefaced]

They do! But they're made of wood, and usually go over a stream or a river, and they're never that big.

[CUT HER SOME SLACK, HIRO.]

[zerotohiro]

The Golden Gate Bridge is definitely not made of wood. It's science. It's angles and physics and materials that keep the whole thing standing.

[cutefaced]

I don't really understand it, but maybe I will if you explain the science of it to me later?

[zerotohiro]

Have you ever understood any of the science I've told you before? I could try, but some of it's a little complicated.

[cutefaced]

Some of it, but I didn't get many chances to actually use it...

[Being dead and then going straight back to seeing your dad murdered will put a damper on science experiments.]

I don't mind taking the time to learn, though. ...we'll have plenty of time for that.

[zerotohiro]

We have a lot of time for everything. I just...wasn't sure how much patience you had for that kind of thing. I could talk about it for a while. Just a fair warning.

[cutefaced]

If we start with the basics, it will probably be okay...? I might not look it, but I'm a pretty fast learner.

[Especially when she wants to have something to focus on to distract her from the dead dad, evil cousin thing.]

[zerotohiro]

...Yona I've always known that. That's why you were the best game partner. [A half-smile.] Did you think I didn't notice that?

[cutefaced]

...

[this is the face of someone who definitely thought he didn't know that]

[zerotohiro]

...how did you not know that? [Now he's just genuinely curious.]

[cutefaced]

You were always the one who came up with the plans... I thought that was because you thought I couldn't.

[in other words she's an idiot who never bothered to ask]

[zerotohiro]

...if never had anything to do with that. [He looks away then.] I always just thought if they were my plans, maybe you'd be able to be spared if we ever got caught. Since it would be my responsibility.

[cutefaced]

...you've always been looking out for me.

[She scoots over, reaches for his hand, and manages a smile.]

Thank you, Hiro.

[zerotohiro]

[...yeah, well, he lets her take it, holding her hand and giving her a quiet, unsure look.]

What're you thanking me for? You would have tried to do the same for me if I didn't come up with the plans first, wouldn't you? That's what a team is for. You...reminded me of that. I'd almost forgotten.

[cutefaced]

I would have.

[She probably wouldn't have managed to get close enough to either of the Crafters to stab them, but she would have tried. It's fine. They were always going to be a disaster, one way or another.]

...I'm glad. But, um, it sounded like your friends were able to remind you of that, too. It's really good that they were here for you to come back to.

[zerotohiro]

[There's a soft hum.] They would have, maybe, but it would have been more complicated I think. I really screwed up, but I still thought I was right. Playing the game kind of proved me wrong.

You'll meet them soon. I promise.

[cutefaced]

I can't wait to.

[Buuuut... that would come later, and Hiro had a potentially exhausting tomorrow ahead of him. So...]

...it's getting pretty late. Um... you need to get some rest, right?

[zerotohiro]

...probably. Not sure I'll really be able to sleep though. I was just going to stay down here and work on some stuff. If that's okay. Can you sleep if I'm doing stuff?