THIRD DAZZLE | video | January 16th, evening

[gingaprettyboy]

[Takuto is not as his own apartment. He's outside, in the dark, looking between the sky, the communicator, and something else that might be on the ground.]

Sora's gone, too.

[There's an thin whine from nearby, which reminds him.] I-I've got the dog, though. Riku's puppy.

[Maybe he should have expected everyone to leave at the same time. This...

Comments

video

[dai_mon_dai]

[He looks like he almost WANTS to say something mean... but shakes his head and honestly looks sympathetic]

...sorry.

[video]

[gingaprettyboy]

[He just nods quickly.]

Thanks.

[video]

[dai_mon_dai]

You gonna be okay with that dog?

[video]

[gingaprettyboy]

W-what do you mean?

[There's no way the puppy can come close to replacing his friends. So the answer is no. Unless of course Masaru meant something else by the question....]

[video]

[012420]

[Just.. this face. Again, already?]

You lost another friend?

[video]

[gingaprettyboy]

[Forced levity. Really forced levity.]

Yep.

[And quick! Subject change!]

Do you want to help me think of names for my new dog?

[video]

[012420]

.....you are wearing a false smile again, Takuto.

[Though he will answer your question]

A name for your dog?

[video]

[gingaprettyboy]

[Through the false smile--] Just let me wear it, Sai. You're doing that thing again.

And yes, I have a dog now. [He turns the communicator towards the ground, where a chocolate lab puppy is chewing on a toy. Don't worry, Takuto has him on a leash.]

[Video]

[sayatakagi]

... a lot of people left recently.

I'm sorry.

[video]

[gingaprettyboy]

[He swallows back his feelings.]

Yeah, me too.

[scatterflower]

... So Sora, Riku, Neku, and Kairi are gone.

*She sighs, frowning quite a bit.*

Why don't you come over? Let the puppy get used to being around me, at least.

[gingaprettyboy]

[He... really needs to talk to her. And he's grateful for the offer to come over. He could probably use at least three hugs, and maybe a little more.]

Th-that's a good idea. I'll just... come straight over. [He tugs on the puppy's leash, and starts walking.]

[scatterflower]

Okay. I'll be waiting.

*And wait she does, not even doing anything to pass the time.*

[video then action]

[gingaprettyboy]

S-see you soon. [He nods, hesitates, and then clicks the feed off. He's got some thinking to do before he sees her in person.

Still, it's not too long before there's a knock on her door, accompanied by a few puppy barks.]

[rebelwithaclock]

...

[He doesn't think he can say much this time around. He knows from the last time that he's not particularly good at comforting, at least through words.]

Maybe we should go somewhere tomorrow for fun.

[gingaprettyboy]

[He opens his mouth, closes it, and then really, the words just come tumbling out with a sigh.]

Do you mean before or after we go to Frankfurt?

[And then he looks away, feeling a little guilty, like he took out his frustration on the demon. He exhales slowly and recomposes himself.] I mean, I'd like that. But maybe it'll have to be the day after.

[rebelwithaclock]

Agh--right. Frankfurt. Sorry, I wasn't...[He shakes his head. He'd been putting so much energy into trying not to be nervous about it that he'd managed to forget that was tomorrow. Now he's feeling a little nervous again.] Okay, then maybe the day after tomorrow. We'll work hard tomorrow and celebrate after!

[gingaprettyboy]

[He'd much rather try to help calm Chrono's nerves than face his own problems at the moment. So he's going to throw his heart into this plan for celebration.]

Yeah, we'll celebrate a job well done! And being one step closer to saving the world!