[backdated: july 3rd] video —> text responses; un: otoproxy

[ends]

[ although the thought of reaching out via text had crossed his mind (exhausted as it is) more than once, Otonashi ultimately settles on video for the sake of consideration. if anyone had seen Ruca’s earlier message and still had lingering concern, seeing him functional and able to speak for himself should alleviate it.

he’s not quite fine given the tells of poor sleep etched into his face, but he’s not torn to pieces or missing, either. ]

Hey... I just thought showing my face would be the right thing to do after I wasn’t able to for... uh, however long. [ a pause before he continues: ] 3, 4 days? I’m... not your go-go person if you need someone keeping track of time.

[ death will do that to a person. what do days matter when they blur together in endless time? ]

With that great character flaw covered and out of the way... I’m Otonashi. Anyway, I wanted to pitch an idea to everyone for—something like a club? A support group? I haven’t been here very long, but I’m, ah, noticing a trend... [ of people with poor socialization, or who have issues making friends, or trusting people, or... hm. his point. ] ... and I think there’s a lot of strength in organized numbers. I know there are groups designed to protect, clinics, recreation, but I was thinking something a little more informal?

[ he has to workshop it a bit more, but the world certainly has enough space to accommodate wishes such as this. surely it’s feasible, and if it already exists? all the better. strength in numbers. ]

I’m going to leave this here... My roommate insisted I sleep with him, and he was pretty adamant on not taking ‘no’ for an ans— [ almost as if on cue, the sleepy, comfortable voice of Ruca cuts in for those who may be familiar, slurring Otonashi’s name. Otonashi, in turn, takes the opportunity to turn aside to yawn a little. ] —answer... Right, so, let me know what you think..? See you later, switching to text.

( so Otonashi is running on empty, getting back from a series of unfortunate events, and letting everyone know he’s fine following some choice, sleepy wording. chaos may ensue. responses may come from Otonashi or Ruca (demonicbookworm), probably text but may swap depending! disclaimer: they are not, in fact, about to go to town on each other. )

Comments

Text: UN: TachibanaS

[triggerhappytraitor]

Glad to see things between you two were resolved.

text;

[ends]

it was nothing he did. not that you’d know by talking to him, he’d blame bad weather on himself, I swear...

were you looking after him too?

[triggerhappytraitor]

For some people, blaming ourselves is the only way we know how to cope.

I was, yeah.

[ends]

I know you’re right... but I want better for him.

[ because he knows, he knows the truth in that sentiment, both from experience and those of so many others. ]

so— thanks. for taking care of him. sorry for all the fuss, but I’m glad he has people that have his back...

Text, UN: anisotropic

[fractaljesus]

It was 72 hours exactly.

[Without a face to go with the username, will Otonashi recognize who it is? Then again, it's pretty obvious...]

text; un: otoproxy

[ends]

[ Otonashi might chalk it up to someone keeping close tabs on him out of concern, and that conclusion might have given him more peace to sit with. it might have, if he could have convinced himself of it.

but he knows better.

he has to rise from bed to dart outside the room. it likely won’t spare Ruca from seeing inevitably, but he owes everyone involved to try. ]

yeah, thanks for ... that

[ that’s all he has for a minute or so. ]

why
did you feel the need to clarify?

[ and that’s hardly the biggest issue, but it’s the easiest one to address. ]

[fractaljesus]

Because you could not remember. [And clearly that is the most important thing here. Clearly. He really can't comprehend what part of this is problematic.

Otonashi hadn't crystallized. He'd survived. That was what was important.]

[ends]

I said I was bad with time... I covered it already

[ taking responsibility for his skewed perception of time (and to a lesser extent, his history of poor or absent memory) had been easier than contending with yet another complication of his well-intentioned, ill-fated adventure. ]

if you can clarify that, can I ask-
why didn’t you let anyone know I was
safe?

[ because he technically had been, and he can’t and won’t deny as much. it could have been worse, it wasn’t, it doesn’t matter. ]

I would’ve understood you stepping out for that
I think

text; un: asura

[demonicbookworm]

[That response to Otonashi's post catches Ruca completely off-guard. His eyes narrow as he types and sends a single question.]

How do you know that?

[fractaljesus]

Because that was the span of time that I detained him for recovery.

video; UN: Annehappy

[depthsofdespair]

No, show me your face. You look like a disaster.

[Is that supposed to be encouraging?

She’s stubbornly using video on her end, whether or not he decides to do the same. It’s easier. This way, her words can be cruel while her face conveys her concern.]

We didn’t get to talk when I broke into your apartment before.

video; un: otoproxy

[ends]

[ he goes ahead and switches back over to video, per her request, though he has to swallow back a comment about how what he gave really should have been enough. ]

Pretty sure that’s just my face, Lucy. [ he rocks the “perpetually tired/disaster” look often. ] Not sleeping well for days will do that to you.

[ it’s true enough, his face has all sorts of dark lines under it, smudges and discoloration from a lack of rest that cannot be so easily scrubbed away with a bath. continuing to stay up to make this post at all hadn’t helped, but here he is, doing that anyway. ]

[depthsofdespair]

Well, I like your face. Disaster or not.

[That’s “thank you for using video,” in Lucy language.

Though, calling him back doesn’t mean she knows what to say. She could apologize for being a sanguis mess, sure, but he probably already knows that. There’s also the way she kidnapped him to Anne’s Room, worries him by nearly becoming a rock, and ignored his suffering in favor of her selfishness.

Lucy sighs. She has so much to say, doesn’t she?]

... You scared the hell out of me. Coming back looking like that, and acting all casual ish about “a brush with death.” Now you want to make some support club, and it hasn’t even been a day since you came back smelling like an old shoe.

[...] Don’t apologize for it either. Not when you’re the one so miserable.

[nojohnyouare]

Safe? People worried.

text; un: otoproxy

[ends]

yeah. I’m safe now.

sorry if I worried you too. I couldn’t contact anyone after

[ he hesitates here, reluctant to admit his near-death experience so blatantly. but he’d already sent the partial message. ]

after things got complicated.

un: clearwater2000

[nojohnyouare]

Is it still out there? What got you.

text; un: sherlockfreud

[prodigalmess]

[ Malcolm's not even going to touch the 'sleep with him' part. ]

Hey. My name's Malcolm Bright. I tried to help Ruca track you down. I'm glad you're back. Are you doing okay?

text; un: otoproxy

[ends]

[ people have been surprisingly merciful about his tired blunder, so he has yet to even notice. ]

hey. sorry for putting you out like that... but I’m sure Ruca was grateful you were there.

thanks for looking out for him.

[ the first part comes easily and sincerely. while he isn’t recording himself, it does get him to smile on his end. ]

I mean, I’m not dead or anything... so.

[ another blunder. he should sleep, but overexertion is practically an olympic sport for Otonashi. ]

wait wait, deader. I’m not more dead! I am dead. but not recently. I didn’t die from being gone, is my point...

[prodigalmess]

I work with the police back home, so it was no problem.

[ He was happy to help. ]

Were you... dead before you got here?

text | un: fotia

[burningfree]

Who would this 'support group' be for?

I agree with your idea of strength in numbers, but I also think most people's interest hinders on what sort of goals such an 'informal' group would have.

text; un: otoproxy

[ends]

short answer, everyone who needs help banding together in the situation we’re all stuck in. I’m new, so I didn’t understand the scope until... recently.

anyway.

a lot of people are coming in carrying burdens from home while being hit with all this new information. we’re expected to adapt quickly. other people have been here, lost people ... it’s not easy to want to pick up and start all over again to find a new support system, but obviously we all need one.

what I’m trying to do is have a space for people to meet others ... since we’re all facing the same thing. I’ve met a lot of people who would do really well if they just had a place to go before everything starts going to hell - either from the moons, the world.

I met a girl who slept in a park because a dragon stole her apartment. I room with someone who spent a month being lonely because he was too afraid to ask anyone until he felt bad enough to ask me.

I want to do something for them, and everyone like them.

[burningfree]

That makes a lot of sense, actually. We are lacking an organization specifically for the Moonblessed undergoing any kind of stress, whether it's adjusting to our new settings or dealing with just the general chaos of this world.

I've also seen at least two people here who weren't coping well with the loss of others that could have used a support network. I know I certainly could, if I were to lose my partner at some point.

If you're really interested in setting something like this up, then count me in.

text;

[arf]

Just like a hang out club?! That sounds fun... hm.. it's hard to do without a goal though huh?

Re: text;

[ends]

kind of, yeah! it's a lot of things. hanging out in a group means a support network, and for new people or those coping with loss, or struggling with the world, knowing there are people like you in an organized place.

yeah, we're all in the same situation, but not everyone is as social or knows how to ask for help when they're feeling alone or struggling with a burden from back home.

so - the goal is "survival" and "navigation" the best we can, with the resources we have. we can fight back together to cope with the lives we left and the one's we're in now.

text;

[arf]

[ Oh wow.. Taichi is stunned for a minute at the response. It's a really touching and thoughtful idea. Even back home, there were times when he would've loved something like this before he was accepted into Mankai Company. Haha, even without being kidnapped to another world he needs support other people seem to get along without... He pushes that thought aside. It's a really good idea. ]

Count me in!