Day 27: Lunch

[stray_shinigami]

Renji wasn't so certain what this grilled cheese thing was all about, but he liked the sound of some soup. Even if it was strange western soup, well... there wasn't anything bad people could do to soup, in his experience. His good mood was starting to fray at the edges, a little, from the strain of dealing with the Ichimaru issue, and even more

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[thecoming_storm]

Naoto tried to ignore the food line in favor of scanning the crowd for Naoya, but the nurse who'd dragged him here would have none of it. His search for his younger brother was put on hold until he could satisfy the nurse's inane demands that he get something to eat.

Naoto dropped the tray onto a table and then promptly ignored it while he continued to search for his brother--he'd tried contacting him telepathically, but it hadn't worked. At all. That was somewhat disturbing, but a secondary concern to making sure his little brother was safe.

[entropy_effect]

Naoya had gotten in only a brief moment of sleep after he had closed his eyes before his nurse had arrived to shake him awake. Thankfully, he could think enough to walk, but beyond that the young man could do no more than follow blindly as he was escorted into the cafeteria. Once there, the nurse disappeared to grab some food and--

Niisan.

That gave the spark of energy Naoya needed to look around the room somewhat confusedly. He couldn't see anything, but amidst the noise and exhaustion he could feel his brother, weak but worried. The call was almost as strong as the need for sleep. It only took a moment longer to catch sight of that familiar mop of black hair (he looked so strange without the coat) and without hesitation Naoya approached, not realizing what it meant for his brother to be there. He just wanted to sleep and near his brother was the safest place.

[thecoming_storm]

Naoto's head was turned, but he looked back around at Naoya's approach. "Naoya," he started, relieved. If this was an illusion, he could deal with it as long as Naoya was there. "You're alright."

He's alive, I didn't kill him, oh thank God.

His relieved expression turned into a worried frown as he saw the condition his younger brother was in. Naoya was obviously exhausted. Probably from his empathy. Naoto immediately rose to pull him close, half to make sure he wasn't dreaming and half because that's just what they did. Then he pulled one other chair out for Naoya and reclaimed his own. "Need to sleep?"

[entropy_effect]

Naoya couldn't help the happy smile that started on his lips as his brother pulled him close. His brother was warm and the action was comforting, he was home again. It didn't take long before Naoya rested his head as he listened to his brother (thoughts, emotions, everything) like a child would listen to its mother's heartbeat.

But then his brother pulled away to grab a chair and the exhaustion made itself known again. The young man nodded slightly as he seated himself before scooting close once more.

"Just a bit. Too early. Sorry, niisan..."

[thecoming_storm]

"It's alright," Naoto responded, pulling Naoya close again. He didn't want to let go. Naoya was obviously tired, and Naoto could ask about this place they'd found themselves in later. He looked over his brother with worried eyes, Naoya usually wasn't this tired unless he'd had one of his episodes. Naoto hadn't been there to protect him, and felt vaguely guilty about it.

And his arm was in a sling. Naoto's gray eyes narrowed. What had happened to Naoya's arm?

[entropy_effect]

Naoya leaned gratefully against his brother before closing his eyes. Tired as he was, his brother's inner turmoil was not lost on him and the young man snuggled moved closer as if hoping to ward the troubles away by his presence alone.

"I'm okay, niisan," Naoya mumbled, already beginning to doze off.

[thecoming_storm]

"Your arm's in a sling. That's not 'okay.'" But Naoto couldn't argue too much more. Naoya was almost asleep anyway, he'd save his questions for later, once his brother was more awake. While Naoya dozed, Naoto started to pick at the tray of food he'd previously ignored.

[materianinja]

Mmm, couches were so much more comfortable to rest in than trees. Or the ground. Or those silly tents they used while traveling. They kinda even beat those mats they had back in Wutai... Though she'd still take the mats over the couches if it meant she could be home.

But naps aside, Yuffie wasn't about to miss out on any of the meals here. Especially something as weird as a 'grilled cheese sandwich'. Grabbing a tray, Yuffie looked around the room for someone to eat with. Most of her friends seemed busy... Rather than bother them (and maybe partially to avoid some of them), the ninja dropped her tray across from a dark-haired man. She didn't know him, but she knew the other with him.

"He's not dead, right?" she asked, motioning to the dozing Naoya.

[thecoming_storm]

Naoto looked up sharply at the sound of the tray hitting the table, narrowing his eyes at whoever-it-was. A young girl, definitely not someone he knew (but really, that wasn't surprising. Naoto wasn't very social at the best of times, and hadn't gotten to know many people in the short time they'd been away from the facility.)

"No, he's sleeping. Who are you?"

[materianinja]

Ooh, that wasn't a happy look. The young ninja grinned in response and deliberately sat down in one of the chairs. Hey, she had every right to sit here as the next person. No scary-eyed jerk was going to chase her away.

"Only the greatest ninja that ever lived. Name's Yuffie. What about you?"

[thecoming_storm]

Naoto was almost caught off-guard. A ninja? What kind of place had people walking around declaring they were ninja?...well, it was apparently a mental hospital. But Naoya didn't belong in any place like that. They'd gotten out of the research facility to live a normal, peaceful life, something this obviously wasn't.

"Kirihara Naoto."

[materianinja]

If Yuffie suspected that this man thought she was crazy (which she probably didn't), she didn't make any note of it. A lot of people gave her weird looks when she told them she was a ninja. Like that Artemis kid. Ha, asking if she shouldn't be keeping that a secret. Yeah, right.

Hearing the man's name made Yuffie pause, frowning just a bit. Kirihara? Wasn't that Naoya's last name, too? "Are you related?"

[thecoming_storm]

Naoto didn't particularly think she was crazy--after all, their own lives were pretty insane. He had no place to judge. He just really wasn't good at dealing with other people--Naoya was the empath, not him.

He nodded. "We're brothers," he confirmed quietly, taking care to not disturb Naoya. Really, if Yuffie thought he looked angry when she first approached, she might have to re-evaluate that. Naoto was looking downright fond and more than a little worried. Of course, it was all directed at his little brother.

[materianinja]

Brothers, huh? Yuffie never had a sibling, and knew very few people who did. Cloud was kinda the older brother of the group, but that's the closest she got. As such, she wasn't at all familiar with what others might consider the 'sibling bond'.

"Right, if you say so." It didn't really matter to her if person A was related to person B or such and such. Wasn't any of her business. Except when she ended babysitting someone else's pain in the butt.

"You're new, aren't you? Cuz I doubt you would have been letting your brother run around on his own last night if you were around, right? You need to put a leash on him or something. Cuz if he runs off again, he's gonna end up with worse than a busted arm." Especially if he ran into the giant man with the metal head... That thing still gave Yuffie the chills.

[thecoming_storm]

Naoto's head jerked up toward Yuffie again, but he carefully tried to keep his mind clear--Naoya would feel any emotions he projected and wake up, and he needed the rest. "What happened?" The ninja girl was entirely right--if Naoto had been around earlier, Naoya wouldn't have been going anywhere alone.

"I...just woke up." Naoto looked vaguely troubled about the whole situation, especially considering he should be dead.

[materianinja]

A new person, huh? Seemed to be a lot of those lately. Yuffie had a sneaking suspicion that Naoya was one of them, too, but she hadn't asked at breakfast.

"Oh, nothing. Except your brother almost got himself eaten by one of the creepy crawlies that run around here at night. He seemed to think that not being around people is a good thing. You might wanna tell him not to do that if you like him being in one piece."