Work Text:
The thing that stuck with her the most, of everything, was the feeling of resistance - the push required to slam a blade through flesh, like yanking loose a rusted screw.
Though her stomach was long since emptied, at the thought she began to retch again. At least the sickness hadn't hit her until she was back in her room, stepping into the bathroom to shower and try to scrub the blood from under her nails. It shocked her, how composed she had managed to be, when it mattered - what she was willing to do.
She didn't regret it, though she knew they would have been better off trying to extract some information from him. He had come from a different world....were there others? Did they end the game only to win a happy ending tainted by the knowledge that he could step in again at any time to try to take it away?
Her thoughts circled back to Takumi. She'd already regretted how harshly they had all judged him before, but now...
Groaning, she sat up from where she had flopped onto her bed post-shower, frowning at where her hair had drenched the pillow. Enough, she decided. There was work that needed doing.
Though she wasn't convinced that her stomach was anywhere near settled, she decided her first course of action would be a very late breakfast.
-
It was over. It had to be. They should all be celebrating.
And yet.
Slumped at the table, he absently prodded at the vegetables on his plate, not really seeing them. It was nice, being in the cafeteria again, even as empty as it was now - in this timeline, the group hadn't ever gotten into the habit of meeting together for breakfast, everyone too distrustful of anyone outside of their own team. But for him, he'd spent months meeting with everyone every morning, and he had missed it. Too late now to try to start it up, as they should be off this planet entirely before long. Maybe the others would want to meet up sometimes, once on the artificial satellite.
Assuming the other survivors wouldn't go back to being unable to stand to look at him again. Not that he could blame them, really. He had come back, killed a team member and told them it was to protect them all, only for it to mean nothing in the end. He had come back, somehow, and as much as he'd moved past the brunt of his self-loathing, he couldn't stop wondering if Eito was still there somewhere, a ghost lingering in his blood.
Maybe it would be better, if everyone wanted to go their separate ways. Living together was a nice fantasy, but -
"Keep that up, and you'll end up with quite a scar."
Takumi jumped at the voice, looking up to see Yugamu and Darumi entering the cafeteria. He stared blankly at them as they approached his table until he realized he had been scratching at his stitches through his shirt.
"Ah! Right. It just itches like hell."
"Skill issue," Darumi chirped, leaning on the table with a grin.
"No appreciation for all my hard work sewing you back up...but if you'd like, I could always kill you so can revive without it."
The idea hadn't even occurred to him. He couldn't see it, of course, but Darumi must not have her incision anymore after her explosion. He made a face - there was no way he could be that cavalier about dying.
"Ooh!" Darumi sounded excited, which was immediately worrying. "Both of us blew up to defeat the sponsor. It's not fair that you're the only one who hasn't exploded. Do we have any grenades around?" She looked like she might actually go bounding off to look for one.
"Huh?! Hey, come on. I'm not the only one - it's not like Tsubasa blew up or anything."
"Ooh, trying to throw Mistress Tsubasa under the bus? That's cold, Takumi. I'm telling her you tried to get her blown up."
"What? That's not-"
"Who's getting blown up?"
The attention of everyone in the room shifted as Tsubasa entered. She grabbed some toast, listening to the heated conversation she couldn't quite work out the meaning of between Takumi and Darumi, and started to feel better at the first bite. Making eye contact over the other two's shoulders, she raised an eyebrow at Yugamu. She hadn't been sure how everyone would be doing in the aftermath of everything, and it felt like a massive weight off her shoulders seeing them all together, as if there were no more problems. Before she managed to finish her toast, Darumi turned to her, honed in on some new idea that she as determined to share with her, and gesticulated excitedly.
Takumi saw Tsubasa getting up and leaving with Darumi and felt a lurch in his stomach for a moment, but when she caught his eye and grinned, it no longer felt quite so pressing. They'd have all the time in the world, now.
He didn't realize he'd been starting until his attention is drawn by Yugamu stifling a yawn. Sheepish, he turned back.
"Apologies. Not that your company isn't stimulating as always, but it's been a rather exciting day."
Takumi furrowed his brow. "I didn't really think - it's day 86 right now, isn't it? Have you been awake for three days?"
"Mmm. Not quite the longest I've stayed awake, but a day nap is certainly starting to sound tempting."
Takumi hesitated on what he was about to say. It felt too sad, to have their victory only to sleep on the floor surrounded by the bodies of their dead friends. As team leader, he felt he should say something. Still, he was definitely going to regret suggesting this...
"Y'know, considering the, uh, situation...until we get everyone out of there and properly buried, you could. Stay in my room for now. If you wanted?"
He winced at the odd expression he got. Ouch? Somehow, that was worse than whatever response he'd been expecting. Feeling more awkward by the second, he kept burying himself deeper.
"Erm. I could take the couch, I mean. It's-"
Thankfully, he was rescued from himself as whatever that was was replaced with a far more typical expression.
"Couch? Don't be silly. No need to be shy with someone who was just elbow deep in your thoracic cavity."
Aaaaand there it was. He never would have expected to be glad to be back to the deranged talk, but it was a comfortable return to the status quo. Before he could give his emphatic denial, Nozomi entered, telling them that she was grabbing some food for herself and Kamyuhn, and that they should meet to talk about next steps. Takumi stood and stretched, wincing as it pulled at his stitches, then put away his dishes before going to follow her.
How strange, he thought, looking at the back of her head. How different everything had become. He remembered the wrenching pain as he travelled back, for her above all else, and still felt that protective instinct. But it was good, to see her with her passion for her new family. They'd both changed, and as they joined with the rest of the group he was buoyed by optimism at the sight of them - perhaps, whatever they are now, this could all work out.