[--OPEN!] welcome back to childhood~

[thebooksaysso]

Characters: Anathema Device [ thebooksaysso ] & YOU~
Setting/Location: various places in Lere'unfru
Date & Time: Day 22, morningish?
Warnings: Suddenly. Children. Everywhere.
Summary: A very tiny and homesick Anathema decides this trip is taking too long and tries to find her own way home. And is immediately distracted.

Comments

Oh! I hope he had a good birthday :D

[whitegamon]

"It can't be helped," Raikou said as Gau fixed his hair. He frowned a little. There was a stubbornness in his tone, and it showed as he crossed his arms across his chest. "It's not like I chose to wake up like this."

One hand instinctively reached up to touch the protective charm neatly tied in his hair. Satisfied with how secure it was, he pushed his bangs away from his eyes and his forehead (they'd been sticking to his forehead; he was sweaty now). "I can't be stuck like this forever," he said, the urge to kick Gau in the shins rising again. The younger--no, older now--boy moved to Anathema and started fixing her hair as well. Raikou smiled at her. "Shimizu Raikou," he introduced, bowing just slightly. "What sort of stories did Gau make up, this time?" His smile was teasing and he looked up at Gau...

...who wasn't even looking at him! And in his current youthful state, that was highly unacceptable! His hands were at his hips now, and he stood as tall as he could. "I'm not going to answer Gau's questions unless you look at me," he declared, puffing his chest out and looking as authoritative as he could.

Yesss. i hope your aging parent had a lovely time doing so with his family as well.

[justice_by_coma]

"I didn't make up anything!" Gau shot back hotly, sulking a little. He turned his head back obediently, though.out of force of habit.

"Anathema-san has been helping me on the caravan-and he's not 'that Raikou person,' Anathema-san!" He directed heatedly at Anathema as an afterthought. He straightened, trying to look dignified. (Which largely failed, because Gau's intended expression of dignity bordered somewhere between black scowling and pouting.)

"I just told people I was looking for you! And it doesn't help that there were girls on the caravan with pink hair to start with! It made it really confusing. There's even a not-robot guy like a sentei warrior who has pink armor. And...well...I'm not sure if it's actually Wondaru Womanu or not, but I think she's here too. And I woke up in a forest where there was a girl who did a shoujo transformation sequence of some kind..."

He blinked. Aah. He was rambling. And Raikou had that sort of fierce grin that meant some sort of affectionate, aggression was forthcoming. Gau slumped a little.

Honestly, he was tempted to let him, even if a kick in the shins wasn't anything close to the customary sleeper hold, triangle arm lock, or blow to the head. It was...unexpectedly depressing.

He felt too tall for the first time in his life.
It occurred to him that he could probably pick Raikou up and carry him.
The thought was disorienting. And his chest hurt like it was being stung by a swarm of bees again. He rubbed the scar without thinking, wincing a little. He was already starting to sweat and sweat hard.

"Raikou-san...even if it's the morning...we should get inside." He said a little wearily. "Then I can give you my attention and have you answer my questions?" He looked at Anathema a little sadly. "Maybe...if you come, too, Anathema-san some commonality will become apparent that binds the instances of age regression together. Before...anyone goes too far and...disappears."

And even if they didn't, he thought to himself, he wasn't very good with children.
They were...messy.

[thebooksaysso]

She started to smile at Raikou, start to reply again, but Gau's sudden sharp tone made her flinch and forget all about it. What was she getting yelled for, she didn't do anything.

But she refrained from pointing that out, too. Right, so her friend was stressed out. That was probably understandable, even though she still couldn't put her finger on just why he was. But she was going to find out, and then she was going to fix it. Because that was what she did.

"Okay....um, can we go to the kitchen? I can make something for you both, if you want. While you talk."

One more glance in Raikou's direction and she tilted her head curiously. "....d'you like tea?"

[whitegamon]

Gau was rambling, so Raikou just let the words fly right past him. He wasn't 'not listening', however. He just didn't pay attention to what was being said. There was a difference. He was a little preoccupied with the thought that he couldn't even reach Gau's neck for a choke-hold, or even grab Gau's collar to throttle him, or just pinch his ears. With affection, of course. Really, if he wasn't around to keep Gau quiet and not so panicky... He wondered how people survived that.

But his expression turned into concern, seeing Gau put his hand to his chest. He knew what was there, under the shirt, and he'd really rather forget about it, but it was a mark of his--

"Fine," he said, looking away. There was still a hint of stubbornness in his voice, but he was really just being childish. "Tea with honey is nice," he told Anathema. He paused for a moment, remembering something. "But I have to go back to Matron Grau's. My things are there."

(Just so you both know, I'm passing out right after this. Been up since five, and it's midnight.)

[justice_by_coma]

Gau nodded, almost disconnectedly. "Anathama-san makes delicious tea. It doesn't need honey."

"But...Raikou-san can't leave shirogamon or his clothes behind." Without thinking of the interpretation, utilizing some deep-seated memory that had long since become unconscious, Gau slipped one of his hands around Raikou's, then around Anathema's. "Which way?" he asked, unwitting and somber.