[RYSLIG] IC Inbox

[luckless]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, NAGITO KOMAEDA. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 004.28.777.00 *** MrBrightside has joined 004.28.777.00 <MrBrightside> Hello there! This is Komaeda. <MrBrightside> I'm grateful that you want to talk to me.

Anonymous username(s): < Triple7 > < BlueRam >

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[waitingforplayer2]

[ The room is a devastation of despair, and so is Komaeda himself. Nanami's eyes immediately flick to the red marks on his skin, the dripping blood.

But two quick slithers of their tail, and they've crossed the distance between them. They're wrapping gentle arms around him, scale against scale, holding him if only for a moment in their shared grief. ]

I'm here. [ Themself is all they can offer, in the absence of their common friend. But to him, they'll offer it in full. ]

[luckless]

[Nanami is always so kind, so understanding. He doesn't deserve them. The cold sensation of scales against scales should be comforting and yet, it's not. When it feels as though his chest is being ripped open, his guts spilled, he doesn't want kindness. He wants a pain that's worse than what he's already experiencing. He wants to feel the depths of despair, colder than their scale to scale touch, more vicious than anything claws or teeth could do to his flesh.

But he doesn't push Nanami away. He doesn't have the will or strength to. Instead, he freezes. Instead, Komaeda sobs harder and turns into his friend's touch and buries his face into the curve of where shoulder meets reptilian hood.]

I knew it would happen eventually, and yet... This is the worst— [Komaeda pulls in a ragged breath between his words—] being here without Atem-kun, I, I—

[He doesn't know how he'll continue on.]

[waitingforplayer2]

[ With everything that's happened, everything the two of them have been through lately - and with the grief of Atem still fresh on their own mind - Nanami should be strong, should be the comforting shoulder for Komaeda to cry on. That's their role, that's their job, it's what they should be...

A choked sob escapes them anyway. They bury their face into Komaeda's shoulder too, a mirror to him, and nods into his neck. They get it. They understand.

They could see him again tomorrow or in a month or in a year or more, but they'll see him again. Nanami believes this. But the wait already feels like agony. ]

[luckless]

[Nanami's hope, still tinged with pain, is why they shine so brightly in Komaeda's eyes. He wants to believe he'll see Atem again, too, but... He knows, deep down, that Atem wouldn't want to be back. He knows that if anything, Atem wants to step into the next stage of his plan: breaking them all out from outside of the game he so believed Ryslig to be.

Komaeda couldn't possibly wish for Atem to come back, and that is by far the most painful reality of this situation. To want someone so badly—being with them, seeing their smile, hearing their laugh—and facing the reality of never having that chance again?

It's almost ironic, that of all the people to console him during this is Nanami themself.

Komaeda's own sobs mellow as he feels their body rack against his own, shaking with barely contained, strangled wants to hide their own sadness. He wraps his arms tighter around them when he feels it, runs the pads of his right hand's fingers along their spine. No words need be expressed between them, as they sob for minutes, they'll always be here for one another. The span of these encircling arms has been and will always be a safe place.]

[waitingforplayer2]

I keep telling myself it's not forever.

[ It feels like hours of crying together, even if it's probably only minutes. Nanami's sunk to the floor with Komaeda by this point; their coils wrapped protectively and close around him. Her claws run through his hair, idly untangling his tendril hair. ]

It's-- everyone comes back, eventually. You did, I did... I just...

[ Nanami swallows, and mutters into Komaeda's neck. ] I hate him not being here, you know?