3 || [video]

[incriminating]

[Seated low in the night sky, the moon elongates Adachi's shadow until it stretches out before him and swallows the name imprinted on the grave he stands in front of. The communicator is level with his legs, positioned in such a way that his expression is nearly impossible to discern from the sharp angles of his face. He is painfully still, the

Comments

[ Audio ]

[junesoholic]

[ She's mostly speechless, because all of this seems so off compared to the goofiness she's used to from him. She doesn't understand a few of the words, but it reminds her of that one time she heard a few older boys saying them and her dad had gotten mad at them and had asked if they kissed their mothers with those mouths. ... When she thinks about it, she still doesn't understand why he said that.

After a few moments it seems she has gathered enough courage to speak up. ]

A.. Adachi-s-san?

[ After that she goes quiet for a little bit again, wondering what she should or can say in this kind of situation. ]

Are you.. um.. okay..? [ Her tone wavers between scared and worried. ]

[ Audio ]

[incriminating]

[There's a sharp exhale as he struggles with himself. It was late when he started rolling the video feed, he didn't think Nananko-chan would still be up. Guilt eats away at him and he doesn't know why, doesn't want to know why. He's too unstable to examine these feelings, to try and make sense of them, and Magatsu Izanagi devours him, chasing away the guilt.]

...You're such a good little girl, aren't you, Nanako-chan? You do what you're told. I wish more girls were like you, Nanako-chan.

[He begins to continue and then cuts off with a choked noise.]

N-Nanako-chan, don't worry about me. I'm okay. Just a little...tired.

D-don't stay up too late. Dojima-san would kill me if he thought I was keeping you awake.

[ Audio ]

[junesoholic]

[ There's another long pause from her side of the feed, because he just seems so strange and different tonight. Even though she realises the first part is probably meant to be a compliment it feels so off and.. scary, even? But after that he seems to return more to himself and she honestly doesn't know what to make out of this anymore.

Somewhere in the back of her head she's ready to blame it on sleepiness. ]

If you're tired.. you should go to bed too. [ It comes out a bit slow and hesitant, as if she isn't sure what to say to this man who almost seems like a scary stranger and then switches and is yet so clearly the Adachi-san she knows. ]

I couldn't sleep. ... Dad's not here. [ It isn't clear if she's referring to what she said or what Adachi said with that afterthought. ]

[ Audio ]

[incriminating]

You're right. I think I need to rest.

[He pauses, just as uncertain as she is. Then he mumbles something under his breath, an aside to Magatsu Izanagi, and sighs quietly.]

Can't sleep, huh? You've got your big bro though, right?

[God, but even talking about Seta gets his blood boiling. He quickly changes topics.]

When your dad put you to bed, what'd he do? Tuck you in? Did he read to you?

[ Audio ]

[junesoholic]

[ The mumbling to himself seems kind of strange too, but she tries to ignore it. It's just Adachi-san, right? He's nice and goofy and friends with dad and definitely not strange or even scary and..

It's too difficult to try to understand.

She nods weakly at the questions, even though she knows he won't see it. ]

Yeah. Sometimes it was like there was a monster under my bed and then he would chase it away.

[ Audio ]

[incriminating]

[Here, there are monsters everywhere. Real monsters. Creatures that wouldn't hesitate to eat up a little girl like Nananko-chan. Adachi's swallows heavily and tries to laugh reassuringly.]

Don't worry. Seta-kun'll keep an eye out for anything bad.

Um...

[He hesitates again. He doesn't even know why he's about to offer this, but...despite what everyone thinks, he does genuinely care about Nanako-chan. At least, more than he cares about most people.]

I could...tell you a bedtime story? Will that help you sleep?

[ Audio ]

[junesoholic]

Hmm. He's protecting me and everyone else, so.. [ Her voice trails off, as if lost in thought. Then she doesn't speak up for a few moments.

When she does speak up again, the tone of her voice is much more cheerful. Right now it seems like she has forgotten about all the weird things that had been there at first about Adachi, or at least pushed them to the very, very back of her mind for now. Right now there's only the person she knows. ]

I.. Yeah! I'd really like that! I can try my best at sleeping for sure after that.

[ Audio ]

[incriminating]

[Adachi is trying to swallow his hysteria, struggling to temporarily disentangle himself from Magatsu Izanagi, to seperate himself from everything Nanako-chan needs to be protected from. He's not sure why he bothers, why he even cares, but he remembers a tiny, weak body dwarfed by the severe white of a hospital cot and doesn't question himself further.]

Okay then! ...um, so...

[Adachi doesn't really know any bedtime stories offhand. As if his parents would have ever...tch. With a sudden jolt of sick delight, he considers telling her a story about seven stupid brats who thought they could make a difference in the world -- but decides he doesn't feel that cruel. Tonight.]

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who was blessed by the...Faery Queen of Junes...and was given the power to fly. She...

[Long, rambling, and derpy bedtime story ensues.]