IC || THE LAST CASE || VIDEO

[incriminating]

[From the moment the video feed rolls, the audio is distorted with static and a tinny, dual-toned laughter that lacks any real warmth or cheer. No, the sound is instead cold and cruel, cutting through the tranquil silence of night like a knife, as sharp as the smile that now twists its owner’s lips. Crowing, Tohru Adachi stares straight-on at the

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[junesoholic]

[ Nanako had been sleeping really, had been trying to sleep, but when she woke up - is it her or does everything seem a little bit more noisy tonight? - and she couldn't find the other people in her croft, not even her big bro, with no sign or any other note of them.. well, of course she got a little worried.

But exactly at the moment where Nanako ponders - still sitting in bed - if it would be alright to go outside at night just this once, just to look if they were sitting outside for some sort of silly reason, the door opens. And she's pretty relieved knowing that she won't have to go look for them anymore, because here they are, right?

... But the sight is definitely not anything she expected to see. Even just having Adachi himself come in like that wouldn't have been strange, she would have been able to think up some sort of explanation for it, even if the Adachi in this place didn't remember her, but.. even though it's a little dark, just a little candle illuminating the croft, she can see the blood soaking his clothes. And while Nanako is young and naive, she's not stupid, she knows what the red stains are. (And is he actually still bleeding somewhere? - it's too difficult for her to make out exactly, but..)

So she gasps for air, her expression frozen in some sort of mix of shock and fear. In fact, her whole body is paralyzed by the sudden shock, leaving her unable to even say anything to this.

Instead she just stares. ]

[incriminating]

[His eyes are immediately drawn to her, this tiny thing, perched on the edge of her bed. A choked noise escapes his working throat as he registers the shock in her expression and unbidden, he finds himself wondering, Is this how Dojima looked in their timeline? When he found out the truth? Shivering, he grasps blindly for the door behind him, wracked with a sudden need to retch. Dammit, she won't stop looking at the blood!]

H-hey Nanako-chan.

[It's impossible for him to fake a light tone. His voice trembles.]

C'mon...w-what's up with the staring? Didn't your dad ever tell you...it's rude?

[junesoholic]

[ Even when the silence is broken an answer still doesn't come quickly. In fact, Nanako just sits there for a few moments opening and closing her mouth while searching for the words, almost like a goldfish taken out of the water. It isn't until after a few painful moments of silence and her finally swallowing that she's able to speak up, very slowly and still with practically the same expression on her face. ]

S-sorry... [ Because really, what else can she say right now, she doesn't even know what to say, what to do, she just feels scared and unsure and what is even going on-- ] I-I...

[ Another painful moment of silence. ]

A-are you hurt, Adachi-san..?

[incriminating]

[Every second drags on, awkward and painful, as he searches for the right response. He finds, looking into the eyes she shares with Dojima-san, he can't summon the energy or emotion to laugh. He's killed two kids tonight; what difference would one more make? But even as he thinks it, he knows it's not an option. It was never an option.

Inexplicably, Tohru Adachi feels ashamed.

Below the surface of his mind, Magatsu Izanagi murmurs something in warning and Adachi nods to himself absently.]

I-I'm not... [He takes a deep breath.] Yeah, but it's nothing to worry about. S-sorry, I know...this must seem a little scary to you. It looks worse...than it really is.

[There is no time.]

Why...why are you awake, Nanako-chan? Shouldn't you be asleep?

[junesoholic]

[ 'Nothing to worry about', 'looks worse than it really is'.. Sure, Nanako isn't one to doubt adult's words very often, but in this case.. the blood is everywhere, she has never seen this much blood in one place before, so.. there's no way that could be true, right?

But should she really ask about it at a time like this? She's actually too afraid to ask, too scared of the answer, after all, what sort of wound could cause that much blood, and, and-- ]

I.. I heard noises outside, a-and I couldn't find big bro a-anywhere.. [ She hesitates, almost stumbles over her own words as she speaks. ] And then.. you came here..

[incriminating]

[So she doesn't know where Seta is then. Trying to hide the flash of disappointment that creases his forehead, his eyes flicker to her communicator, sitting innocently atop the table. What would happen if she tried to contact her cousin? Would she see...his broadcast?

For reasons he can't explain, doesn't want to explain, that doesn't sit well with him. He approaches the table and leans his hip against it, picking up the communicator behind his back.]

Oh, um. Sorry about that. There's...been - [he almost says accident, and then remembers the photo on Dojima-san's desk, the photo of his wife]. Listen, Nanako-chan. There's a Watch meeting going on right now; that's why no one is here. They had to pick a time when the younger kids were asleep, so that everyone on the Watch could attend.

[He moves to the bed opposite of hers - Seta's? Hanamura's? - while carefully positioning the communicator so that she won't see it. Sitting down, he slides it under the pillow. Well, whoever finds it is going to have to wipe the bloody fingerprints off it and the sheets. That done, he solemnly regards the girl.]

I...I'll tell Souji you were looking for him. You just need to promise me, promise me, that you'll stay inside. It's dangerous at night and...your dad would kill me if anything happened. Okay?

[He tries to smile reassuringly. It hurts his cheeks.]

[junesoholic]

[ The explanation somewhat makes sense, even if it doesn't explain the blood. But.. maybe something really bad had happened with the faeries just now, and that's where the blood came from and maybe they needed to have some sort of emergency watch gathering..? And it was something they couldn't just tell her about, maybe, so even Souji hadn't mentioned anything to her.

She still doesn't feel entirely comfortable with the explanation, but at the very least it is an explanation. And she doesn't really want to question it. ]

.. H-hmm..

[ She pauses for another moment, but.. she sees Adachi's smile and gives a tiny nod instead, although her gaze is still a little wary, perhaps even sad. ]

I promise.. I-if everything is alright, and big bro and everyone else are just having a meeting, then.. u-um, I'll just try to sleep again.. [ Even if her words are a little hesitant, they're genuine. ]

[incriminating]

[He sighs and tries to convince himself it's not from relief. Returning her nod in approval, he awkwardly stands and then gestures to her bed, trying to indicate she should return to sleep. His mouth feels like it's full of cotton - he's going to find her cousin and kill him, and here he is, sending her off to bed with false promises - so he says nothing as he walks to the door. Opening it, he freezes, eyes immediately drawn to the blood stains he's left on the wood. Shoulders slumping, he starts to glance back at her before stopping himself.]

Goodnight, Nanako-chan.

[And without waiting for a response, he hurriedly leaves.]